Lost and Found
by rolltidegoironmen
Summary: The events that occur in Storybrooke after the curse broke and magic was brought to town. Focused on the Charmings and their relationship as a family.
1. Chapter 1

As the purple smoke cleared, Emma Swan regained her senses. Her vision cleared and blurred images took forms and color. Slowly the world around her began to make noise again. Sound were quiet at first but became louder as seconds progressed. She could smell the hospital again, yet there was this new odor that she could barely discern, yet it was definitely present. She had no idea how much time had elapsed, or exactly where she was. All she was truly aware of was how tightly she was clinging to her son.

She took in her her surroundings. Nurses were rushing about. Monitor screens were smashed, tables were overturned, and medical utensils were strewn across the floor. Dr. Whale, or whoever he was, was sitting in the corner of the room with his head buried in his hands. The hospital was in a state of absolute chaos.

"What was that?" Henry asked as he pulled out of Emma's grip.

"I don't know kid, but we have got to get out of here." She looked him up and down. He was still wearing a hospital gown, and was attached to multiple machines. She grabbed his folded clothes off of a chair nearby and handed them to him. "Get into these. Get ready as fast as you can kiddo." Emma did not like the look of the hospital and wanted to get out of there as fast as she could.

"Emma!"

Emma turned as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"What?" she asked as she turned around. Emma identified the speaker as Mother Superior. Emma was puzzled; she knew who Mother Superior was but they had never actually spoken. The woman looked frantic and concerned.

"Emma it is important that you get to safety as quickly as you can."

"Who are you to decide what is important or not? And do you even know what is going on?" Emma asked.

"They call me The Blue Fairy. And yes, I do know what's going on. Magic has come to Storybrooke! I can feel it here. And with it has come danger unlike any of us could imagine. There are certain people here that have regained their powers, and all of us need to be on our guard! Especially you, Miss Swan. You are in danger!"

Emma had never spoken to this woman before, and yet she seemed more concerned with Emma's welfare than Emma herself was.

"Look lady, I'm going to be fine. You really don't need to be worrying about me-"

"Emma! Twenty-eight years ago I promised two people that their baby girl would be protected and saved from the curse. And whether you like it or not my job is not finished until you have broken this curse! People made sacrifices so you could live up to your calling as the Savior, and whether you like it or not, you need to listen to those of us who know what we are talking about when it comes to magic and curses! There are many people here, namely the Queen, who are very angry with you for breaking the curse. She will stop at nothing to destroy the happiness of others, and you Miss Swan have just destroyed all of her hard work. She will come after you! Not only her, every evil being in Storybrooke will be looking for your blood. And guess what Miss Swan? People are not the only danger to you. Magic is unstable here, and no one knows how it will react. Now I suggest you take your son and get to safety!."

Emma was completely caught off guard. "Okay," she whispered. "I understand." With that The Blue Fairy briskly walked out the door.

Emma sunk onto the hospital bed as Henry zipped up his jacket. She didn't know if she could handle everything. She was barely getting used to the idea that every person in this town was a Fairytale character. And now that fact that she was now a target made her head spin. She would have wished that her life was back to normal, but that would have meant that she wouldn't have Henry, and she could never give him up.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Ready to leave or ready to face a whole new world?" Emma muttered.

"Both," Henry said as he offered his hand to his mother. Emma grabbed his fingers and stood. Something about holding her son's hand gave her a sense of security. She led Henry out the door of his hospital room.

It was a madhouse inside the hospital. Patients and hospital staff were running around, which was difficult given the fact that the halls were cluttered with all sorts of objects. Emma heard people yelling for loved ones and friends. Everyone around her seemed panicked and unsure of what to do. Emma attempted to move towards the door, but was shoved out of the way. There were just too many people moving in the same direction. Emma had no idea what to do.

"Miss Swan," a velvety voice purred. Emma looked up into the eyes of Jefferson. He was dressed in hospital garb, which did not suit him in the least. His face was a mask of darkness, hidden by the greedy smile that shaped his lips.

"What do you want?" she said as she glared at him.

"Do you believe me now? Who said that you had magical properties? That's right, me. Who told you that the curse was real. Oh, me again. You really should think about trusting people more often, so you don't look foolish in the end." Jefferson folded his arms in front of his chest, and Emma could tell by his expression that he was mocking her.

"Actually Henry was the first one to tell me about the curse. Guess you are the one who looks foolish now. Look, I've got to get out of here. Stop wasting my time-"

"There is a back door at the end of that hallway," he said, pointing to the right. "Use it. It's the quickest way out."

"How can I trust you? What are your intentions?"

"Let's just say that I'm trying to be helpful," he said with a smirk.

Emma didn't know if she could trust him or not, but she needed to get out of this hospital as fast as she could. She shrugged her shoulders and followed him down the hallway.

The door was in fact a short cut, and Emma was surprised that Jefferson had been truthful. Emma kept her hold on Henry and began to make her way out the door and onto the street.

"Take care of yourself Emma . We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to the Savior," Jefferson whispered. Emma turned and shot him a dirty look. She had no idea what game he was playing, but she knew that she had to be careful.

As they walked down the street, Emma noticed that while there were overturned garbage cans on the road and a few mailboxes knocked down, there wasn't much significant damage. She honestly expected to see more destruction.

Suddenly the ground beneath her began to shake. She grabbed Henry's arm while she tried to keep her balance. Some unnatural force forced the concrete to split in two, leaving a large crevice. Emma fell to the ground, as did Henry. She pulled him close to her and prayed that they would be okay. Screams rang out all around them as the ground continued to shake. She had no idea how long the ground shook, but all she could think about was Henry's safety.

Finally, everything was still. Emma released the breath that she now realized she was holding in. She heard footsteps coming towards her, then suddenly a hand appeared in front of her.

"May I assist you Miss Swan?" Emma reached out and grabbed the hand. The man pulled her too her feet, bringing her up to eye level with him. She recognized him immediately. His eyeglasses were cracked and sitting at an angle on is crooked nose. His red hair was full of dust, and he nervously ran his fingers through it. His left hand clutched an umbrella that now contained multiple holes in it.

"Thank you Archie," she said with a smile. "Sorry you are Jiminy Cricket right? That's what Henry said. Although not much of a cricket if you ask me."

"I am grateful not to be an insect at the moment. I guess, um, Jiminy will have to do." Jiminy turned to Henry. "I must say that I am rather impressed that you figured it out. Oh, and I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier."

Henry grinned. "You were cursed, its all good."

"Hey Hopper may I have a word really fast?" Jiminy smiled at Emma's use of his previous last name. They walked a few steps away.

"Have you seen them yet?" Emma inquired.

"Your parents?" Emma nodded. "I saw them, yes, but believe me I avoided contact."

"Why? I thought you were their friend," Emma whispered.

"Please, I won't be able to face them for a while." He looked at the ground and shoved his right hand into his pocket. "You know, having your conscience cleared after twenty-eight years is not a pleasant thing. I wronged them Emma. And I can't forgive myself. I wronged you too. I'm the reason you had to live your life without family. I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Emma was caught off guard. She had no idea what Arch- Jiminy- was talking about. Could he be referencing the wardrobe? Emma knew that August had come with her, but she did not realize that Jiminy had played a part in that. What he was saying didn't make any sense.

"What are you talking about?" Emma questioned. Jiminy froze the second the words escaped her lips. She could tell by his facial expression that he felt that he had said too much. Emma wondered why he seemed scared and eager to end the conversation. As she suspected, he began to spout reasons to leave and places to be.

"What's going on?" she whispered. He openedhis mouth to answer her, but was cut off when suddenly the ground shook again. It wasn't nearly as violent, and it didn't make her fall to the ground once more. Emma knew that this was affects of magic trying to stabilize, just as The Blue Fairy had mentioned. As the ground became still, Jiminy used this opportunity to escape.

"You should get to safety. It's too dangerous out here." Jiminy began to walk away. After a few feet he turned and called out to Emma. "They were at Granny's last time I saw them!" Emma watched as he scurried away, still curious about what the man was so concerned about.

"Henry we better get going." Henry was sitting on the ground, flipping through his book.

"Come on hurry up I don't like being all exposed out here."

"Is that because you are afraid of the Queen?" Henry asked as he slipped the leather bound book into his backpack.

"Let's get one thing strait: I'm not afraid of Regina. I'm just afraid of what she is capable of." Emma took Henry's hand and led him down the road. They turned the corner and Emma stopped dead in her tracks.

She had never seen such destruction. She could not count all of the overturned cars. There was rubble cluttering the street. Gaping holes could be found in most of the buildings. There were giant cracks running through the road. It looked as if a tornado had touched down right in the middle of town. Emma did not recognize the town that she had been patrolling for months. Her eyes swept across the road, looking for Granny's.

Emma could see the diner in the distance. There was a group of people gathered outside of it. Emma froze. There were two people she recognized even from a distance. Two people that she still was not sure if she was ready to officially meet them or not.

"Hey, I think that's them!" Henry turned to Emma with a big smile plastered on his face, only to sense her nervousness. "Are you sure you are ready for this?"

"Ready? Ready for what?"

"Um I don't know, meeting Fairytale characters? The two coolest people in my book? Snow White and Prince Charming? Your parents? Ring a bell?"

Emma just stared at her son. Slowly she nodded. She realized that she was ready. She was done waiting. She had waited twenty-eight years for the moment where she could finally meet her parents. And besides, she already knew them. They were people she cared about. They were people that cared for her. She still wasn't sure how she felt about everything. But she knew that she was ready to start this new part of her life. Emma took a deep breath and smiled at her son.

"Why don't you go say hello? I'll catch up." Henry smiled at her and took off in a run towards his grandparents. She watched from afar as he was pulled into a hug by his grandmother, and then as he threw his arms around his grandfather. Emma could not explain the happiness that it brought her, seeing him interact with his family so easily. She saw them exchange words without any problem in the world, yet Emma had a feeling that her own words would catch in her throat the minute she tried to speak to them. As if on cue, her family turned towards the road, and she could tell they were searching for her. She sa them spot her, and if she was correct, she could see hope and longing written on their faces.

They were all watching her now. She stared at them.

At the man dressed in flannel, who had a posture similar to his daughter. Who's short hair was the same golden blonde color as her locks. Who's sparkling blue eyes could be found on his little girl. The man who had fought off men and beasts alike to protect his family. The man who wept when he placed his daughter in a wardrobe, never knowing if he would see her again. The man who had offered to be separated from his wife for twenty-eight years because it was the right thing to do. The man who had nearly died trying to save his baby from the curse. The man who was her father, Prince Charming.

At the woman with the raven black hair that was cut short, yet was naturally curly like her daughter's. Who's chin, nose, and skin tone was the same as hers. Who's smile was identical to the one worn by her little girl. The woman who sacrificed herself for true love. The woman who had stood up against the Queen and won. The woman who had let her daughter go so that her baby could have her best chance and be protected from the curse. The woman who had sobbed the moment her little girl was taken from her. The woman who had fought in this and that world for the people she loved. The woman who never gave up on her daughter. The woman who had cared for her unlike anyone else had. The woman who had never hurt her and never would. The woman who was her best friend in the entire world. The woman who was her mother, Snow White.

Emma Swan walked to her parents.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! This is my first fanfic so I wasn't sure if anyone would like it. Someone pointed out that Emma has green eyes. Sometimes her eyes look blue and sometimes they look more green…maybe it's just me. For this story, they will be blue. If any of you find any other details that are incorrect please let me know!**

And by the way, while this story gets off to a slower start, the plot is about to twist.

Snow White was growing impatient. While she loved reuniting with all of her friends, she had only been thinking about one thing since the cloud of smoke had engulfed her and her Prince.

Emma. Emma. Emma.

She gripped James's hand tightly. She could tell that he felt the same way as she did. He laced his finger with hers, and she was thankful he was with her once more.

She saw Red and Granny walking towards them. Their eyes met, and Red's face morphed into a smile. Snow broke away from James and rushed to meet her friend.

"Snow!" Red exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. "It's so great to see you again!"

"I've missed you too Red!" Snow hugged her friend tightly.

"Have you seen her yet?" Red whispered in Snow's ear. Snow shook her head. Red placed her hand on Snow's shoulder. "Don't worry, she will turn up. Do you want me to go look for her?"

"No, I don't want to trouble you," Snow sighed. "Besides, I know for a fact that she was at the hospital with Henry and if I know her, which I think I do, she will have gotten out of there as soon as possible. I'm pretty sure that Emma would work her way towards the diner. This place has always been our general meeting spot."

Red nodded, full of understanding. Snow gave her friend another hug, then threw her arms around Granny. Granny responded by hugging her tightly. They broke apart and beamed at each other. While Snow had never been close to Granny, as she was with Red, Granny had always been kind and thoughtful, and had always stood with Snow at ever battle. Snow would always acknowledge Granny as a friend and valuable ally.

Snow retreated back to her Prince, looping her arm around his waist. James placed his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. As she made light conversation with her friends about the curse breaking, she was suddenly interrupted.

"Snow!"

Snow turned as she heard seven very familiar voices calling her name. A smile spread across her face as she looked upon the faces of some of her best friends in the world.

She pulled away from Charming and ran into a group hug with seven dwarves.

"Happy! Grumpy! Sleepy! Sneezy! Bashful! Doc! Dopey!" she addressed each and every one of them, happy that she was reunited with friends that had always cared for her.

They broke apart, but all seven dwarves were beaming at her.

"We have missed you so much," Doc said.

"I have missed all of you!" she exclaimed. She began to individually hug each one of them. "I can't believe we are all together again." She motioned towards Red and Granny. "It seems like the whole round table is here!" she joked. She turned at walked back towards James, beaming. The dwarves followed her and began greeting the others.

James pulled her aside. He had a calm expression on his face, but she saw concern in his eyes. She could tell what he was thinking about without him even saying the words.  
"I want to go look for her." Her suspicions were confirmed.

Snow nodded. She felt exactly the same way. "She should be coming from the hospital."

"Not to be rude but I don't want them all to come with us," James said, motioning towards their friends. "I love them but this is something we need to do alone."

Snow completely agreed with him. "Let's tell them that we are going to find Emma, so they don't worry. Everyone is still unsure of what is going on, as am I, but I don't want them to think that their leaders are abandoning them."

James smiled at her. "I love how you assume the role of leader. Its so like you," he said as he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I just assumed it was so since we were their King and Queen."

"Not at all. In fact it is one of the things that I particularly love about you." he smiled at her and lightly kissed her forehead, a gesture that sent a surge of love for him through her veins.

"I've missed you so much," she whispered as she gazed into his brilliantly blue eyes. She placed her hands on his neck and leaned in for a kiss, which he happily met halfway.

James pulled away after a minute. "Despite the fact that I would love to continue this, we do have a daughter to find."

"Agreed." Snow entwined her fingers with his and they walked back towards their friends. Planning to tell them about their search, James opened his mouth and started to say something, but was cut off when the earth violently shook, causing them to tumble to the ground. Snow landed on her back, causing her to inhale sharply, earning a look of worry from James. Her friends all around her had fallen to the ground as well.

"Snow are you alright?" he yelled once he caught his breath. She nodded, earning a look from him suggesting that he didn't believe her. She tightly gripped his hand and waited for the shaking to stop. She glanced at the road and saw it being split in two. She truly was afraid, but not for herself. She only feared for the safety of her friends and family, especially her lost daughter.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few seconds, the ground stabilized. Snow breathed a sigh of relief. James helped her to her feet, looking her over and checking for any signs that she was hurt. Once satisfied, he pulled her close to him, and she tightly clung to him. He lovingly stroked her hair, and she felt safe and protected once again.

"What is happening?" she said. He just shook his head. She knew that he knew no more than she, but she still was hoping he would have an answer. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. His affection helped her relax, even though she was still greatly worried for the welfare of many people.

"You guys okay?" Grumpy hollered. Snow turned to him and smiled, earning one back. They made their way towards their friends, never letting go of each others hands. While they were walking, Snow spotted someone she recognized in the distance.

"Jiminy!" she yelled, waving at her old friend. She had always been fond of him, mostly because he had always been so helpful towards James and her. She had been looking forward to reuniting with him. She was surprised when instead of waving back or walking over for a reunion, the man stopped and stared at her. She could not read the expression on his face, but could tell that something was wrong. Without saying a word, he quickly walked away, turning the corner. Snow was shocked. He had been her friend and ally for quite some time, and nothing had every come between her and the cricket.

"What was that about?" Red inquired. Snow shrugged her shoulders, completely confused. She wondered what would have had to occur to cause the cricket to avoid her after years of friendship. Red furrowed her brow. "That's so unlike him," she muttered under her breath to Snow.

Snow went and stood next to James. He had the attention of everyone in the group. Snow couldn't help but admire how much of a natural leader he was. He attempted to speak, but was not able to get a single word out as the ground quaked once more. No one fell this time, but Snow found it difficult to keep her balance. She gripped James's arm tightly until the shaking subdued.

"How many times are earthquakes going to cut me off?" he joked, earning a small laugh from all of their friends.

"What's the plan?" Granny asked.

"Snow and I are going to go find Emma. You guys go find your friends and loved ones, then get to safety. "

"Do you need help?" Doc inquired as he stepped forward.

"Thank you all but this is something we need to do alone," Snow stated. She smiled at her friends, touched at their willingness to help.

For the next few minutes, more people offered to help with anything thing they needed, while others asked what the plan was. James handled all the questions and concerns with ease, but Snow couldn't focus on the conversation. She could think of nothing but her daughter. She was worried about her safety. She just wanted to know where she was.

Snow was eager to see Emma. It was the strangest feeling. Snow knew her daughter. She knew her likes and dislikes, the way she took her eggs, the fact that she loved cinnamon, who she was attracted to in Storybrooke (although that was very tough to get out of her), and many more seemingly unimportant facts. But she also knew Emma's deepest secrets, her fears, her regrets, and what caused her pain. Emma had let her wall down for two people, and one of them was her son Henry. Snow knew Emma better than anyone, and had been the person Emma trusted more than anyone. Snow was grateful for having the opportunity to have spent almost a whole year with her daughter, but she still wanted more. She had been robbed of twenty-eight years with her precious baby girl. Snow longed to embrace her daughter, and she knew that she would never want to let go. Snow had never loved someone as she loved Emma. Emma was her baby, and she had never wanted to have to part from her. It hurt Snow that Emma had thought her parents had abandoned her. It hurt knowing that Emma had lived a painful life, a life without love. Snow had given Emma her best chance to be the Savior. Snow had sacrificed her own happiness so Emma would be saved from the curse. She loved Emma more than anything in this entire world. All she wanted was to prove to Emma that she was loved. Snow could not begin to describe how much she loved Emma.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a young boy that she recognized immediately running towards them. The last time she had seen him, he was lying in a hospital bed while she read to him the story of, ironically, Snow White and Prince Charming's true love's kiss. The last time she saw him, his heart had stopped and she thought that the little boy she had grown so fond of had died. She realized, as he bounded towards her, how much she loved him. She had loved him since this first moment he had stepped into her classroom. Then she didn't identify it as love but now it all made sense. It made sense that she had always been protective of him and that she had always cared for him. She unsterstood now why he was the student she gave that book too. She felt a surge of love for her grandson.

Henry ran right into her arms and she held him close. He looked up at her and his face broke into a smile. She beamed right at him. He broke away and flung his arms around James, earning a tight bear hug from him. Snow laughed as her husband lifted his grandson off the ground and swug him around. She knew that James felt the same way about Henry as she did.

"You know Henry, I always kinda liked that you thought I was Snow White," she said to him, earning another smile.

"Do you believe me now?" he joked, earning laughs from everyone around.

"I always knew you were a smart kid," James said with a smile. "So how did you break the curse?"

"Well I didn't break it, Emma did. True love's kiss not only woke me up, but I guess it woke everyone up."

Snow froze at the mention of her daughter's name. She had been so consumed with her grandson that she hadn't thought of the fact that he wouldn't be alone. He would be with Emma. That meant that Emma was here. She looked at James, and could tell by his face that he was thinking the same this as she was. Slowly and synchronized, they turned their heads towards the direction Henry had come from, looking for their daughter.

Snow saw her almost immediately. She was standing there in her bright red leather jacket, that she was incredibly fond of, crossing her arms. Her blonde curls hung below her shoulders. She had uncertainty written across her face. Snow felt pure love for her as she looked upon her daughter for the first time as her mother.

Slowly Emma began walking towards them. Snow was anxious for the moment when she would embrace her baby girl and would have the chance to tell her that she loves her.

It seemed like hours, but within a minute Emma was standing just a few feet away. She stopped and just stared at her parents. An awkward silence followed as the three of them looked at the family that had been ripped from them twenty-eight years ago.

No one dared to say a word. They all waited on one another to make the first move.

Snow couldn't wait another second. She threw her arms around Emma, pulling her into a tight embrace. She didn't expect much in return, for Emma wasn't one to express her feelings very often. Snow was honestly shocked when she felt two arms encircle her. Snow held Emma close to her, never wanting to let go. She knew that she would never let anything separate her from her daughter again. She let tears stream down her face. They were tears of joy, the joy of reuniting with her daughter, and tears of sorrow, the sorrow of being separated from someone she loved so much. Snow felt Emma's tears bathe her neck, and she couldn't imagine what Emma was feeling. Snow comforted her daughter, something she had been waiting to do for twenty-eight years. Snow could not describe how much love for her daughter, and for her friend, that she had.

"I love you," Snow whispered. She meant every word, yet so much more. There were not enough words in the world for her to tell Emma how she felt.

"I love you too." The words were barely audible. Snow was taken completely by surprise. She had not expected Emma to return affection so soon. Snow could not explain how much joy it brought her to hear her daughter speak those words.

Even though she didn't want to, she broke apart from her daughter. She placed her hands on Emma's tear-soaked cheeks. She gazed at her, and her face broke into a smile. Emma beamed in return. They didn't say another word to each other, because they didn't have to. Their simple exchange was exactly what each of them needed to hear.

Emma eventually turned to James. Snow saw that he had tears running down his face, and she could see love in his eyes, but she didn't know if he would initiate a hug. Emma hadn't been close to him before the curse was broken as she was close to Snow. Snow and Emma had a history that just didn't exist between Emma and James.

"I assume that you want one too?" Emma said to her father, a smile on her lips.

James chuckled. "If you would be so kind."

They wrapped their arms around one another. It brought tears to Snow's eyes, seeing her daughter embrace her father. There were no words exchanged, and their hug did not last as long, but Snow could tell that it was what each of them needed. They broke apart, beaming at each other.

For the first time Snow was aware of everyone around them. For the past few minutes they had been separate from the family reunion, but Snow could read the expressions of happiness on their faces. Many cheeks were lined with tears.

Emma instinctively pulled Henry near her. He was beaming. Snow could tell that he was overjoyed that his family had finally found each other once more.

Emma leaned to Snow. "The Blue Fairy suggested that we get to safety. She said that between angered villains and unstable magic, that we aren't safe."

Snow nodded, full of understanding. "We can all stay at the apartment."

Emma grabbed Henry's hand. Snow and James grabbed each others hands and turned towards their friends.

"We are headed to safety. I suggest you all do the same. We will be at my apartment if any of you need us. We will contact you as soon as we feel that magic has stabilized, and we will begin to make plans." Everyone around nodded their heads, agreeing. Snow enjoyed taking charge, as she had always felt at home as their Queen.

Emma and Henry began to walk towards the apartment, and Snow and James followed.

* * *

"He is knocked out," Emma said as she sat back down at the kitchen table.

Snow wasn't surprised at all. As soon as they had gotten back to the apartment, Henry had been acting drowsy. Yet the kid stayed awake to eat a rather large plate of leftovers, and then to talk to his grandparents. While Snow loved telling him tales of the Enchanted Forest, he could barely keep up with the conversation he was so tired. About a half-an-hour ago Emma had taken him to her room and read to him until he fell asleep.

Snow, James, and Emma now sat around the table in an awkward silence. Snow had expected it to be hard to reconnect with Emma, but she wanted to keep her distance and let Emma come to her. Emma was difficult when it came to opening up to people, and Snow didn't want to scare her off.

Emma drummed her fingers on the table. She seemed distant and had a far-off look in her eyes. Snow could tell by her expression that something troubled her daughter, but she didn't want to push Emma into talking about it.

After what seemed like ages, Emma broke the silence.

"I'm headed to bed. It's been a long and, well, eventful day." She rose from the table and started to make her way towards her room.

"Are you sure that you want to sleep on the floor?" Snow inquired. Emma nodded and walked towards her room. Snow could tell by the look in her eyes that Emma was not about to leave Henry alone. Emma was concerned that Regina might attempt to take him in the middle of the night, and much to Snow's discomfort, that was a very real threat.

Snow moved to the sink where the dirty dishes from dinner sat. She picked up a plate and began to scrub the residue off. James came and stood beside her with a towel, ready to dry the clean dishes. She handed him the plate and he carefully wiped each water droplet off.

"Something is worrying her," Snow confided.

"How do you know?" he said as he placed the dry plate in the cupboard.

"I've been living with her for a year. I've seen that expression far to many times." Emma always seemed concerned with one thing or another. It was expected; she was the sheriff after all, and her son was living with Regina, so no wonder she always had something bothering her.

"Talk to her about it. I doubt she will push you away, I mean, you are her best friend." James was right, she needed to just ask Emma what was wrong. He put the last plate in the cupboard and turned towards Snow. "Admit it, I'm right," he taunted.

Snow rolled her eyes and saw him grin out of the corner of her eye. He leaned over and began to massage her neck. Just his touch caused her to relax immensely.

Without warning he scooped her up bridal-style. She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What are you doing?" she said with a smile.

"I have been apart from my wife for twenty-eight years and yet you question my motives," he stated. "Can't I just be a true romantic at heart?"

"If you drop me I swear you will pay," she teased.

"I would never drop you!"

"You dropped me on our honeymoon! Do I have to remind you?"

"I thought you said we could forget about that," he said as he carried her toward the room they now shared.

"I forgot how charming you were, James," she said as she shared a kiss with her husband and one true love.

**Get used to a lot of Snowing. They are my favorite two characters and I rooted for them all season 1. I think they deserve a lot of "moments".**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for reading! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it! Keep reviewing I love to hear from you guys!**

Snow rested her chin on James's chest. She could feel his fingers playing with strands of her hair. She ran her finger along his jaw, resting on the scar on his chin. The scar that she had given him a lifetime ago. She leaned over and kissed him.

"What was that for?" he teased.

"I love you. And I've missed you," she whispered in his ear. She laid her hand over his heart and could feel the steady beating of it. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed her fingers. He lifted them off his chest and brought them to his face, kissing each one of them. He pause when he kissed her ring.

"Is that my mother's ring?" he said, examining it. She nodded. "You've had it this entire time?" he asked. Snow nodded once more.

"I've been wearing it on my middle finger. I never take it off. I never knew why, but I just couldn't ever bear to remove it." She thought back to years ago, when James had presented her with the beautiful silver band with the embedded green stone. She had promised him that she would never take it off, and she had subconsciously kept that promise.

"It's funny really," James said, looking into her eyes, "that the thief ended up keeping it."

"Must be a very skilled thief," Snow joked.

"Very skilled indeed. Not only did she steal my ring, she stole my heart," he told her as he kissed her ring finger. He slipped the band on. "Returned to its proper place. I still never want it off your finger."

Snow kissed him, then rested her head on his chest. The rise and fall of it was calming to her. She could feel his breathing slow as he relaxed. His skin was cool and felt nice against her cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

She had missed this the most. The gentle touch of her husband. Everything about this moment was perfect. She wished she could freeze time and stay like this forever.

* * *

Snow sat strait up, awakening from her nightmare. She was drenched in sweat, panting. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. She tried to push images of her dream from her mind, but with no success. Scenes of horror swam in front of her eyes. Over and over again she saw James lying motionless in her arms, sometimes with a fatal wound in his side, other times in a hospital gown. She saw Regina, standing in the nursery, laughing and mocking her pain at losing the man she loved. Time and time again James took Emma out if her arms, leaving to place her into the wardrobe. Snow curled up into a ball and tried to calm down. It was the worst nightmare she had ever had. It had been made up of every moment in her life that had caused her pain.

Giving up on sleep, she climbed out of bed and dressed. She saw James shift in his sleep, obviously sensing her absence. She put her slippers on and tip-toed out of her bedroom. She made her way towards the kitchen, thinking about making a cup of hot chocolate.

"Hey."

The voice came out of no where, making her jump. She glanced towards the general direction of the sound, noticing Emma for the first time. She was sitting at the kitchen table, Henry's book open in front of her, with a glass of steaming cocoa in her hand.

"I didn't see you there," Snow mumbled as she reached the kitchen.

"Bad dream or just can't sleep?" Emma asked, looking up from the book.

"Both."

"That would explain the cocoa."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked as she started making her own cup.

"You always make yourself hot chocolate when you can't sleep and or have a nightmare," Emma said, continuing to read from the book. "I've lived with you for almost a year, I know your habits," Emma said when Snow shot her a questioning look.

Snow couldn't help but notice the stiffness in Emma's posture. She could tell by the look on Emma's face that she was really uncomfortable. Snow knew that Emma was trying to make small talk just to make everything seem less awkward, yet she knew that Emma had put her wall back up. Snow didn't doubt the sincerity of her daughters statement earlier that day, but could tell that she was not quite ready for another mother-daughter moment. Emma was already a hard person to connect with emotionally, and now she seemed even more reserved than before. Giving in to her motherly instincts to make sure she was okay, Snow took a seat next to Emma.

She could still tell that something was wrong, and wished to discuss it with her daughter.

"What are you reading about?" she asked, trying to ease Emma into a conversation.

"I'm just flipping through," she whispered. She was trying to avoid any type of conversation, and Snow knew it.

"Emma, you know you can talk to me." Emma glanced up at her mother. Snow could see the hurt in her daughter's eyes and couldn't help but wonder what was causing her such pain.

"I know," she answered, barely audible.

"I'm sorry that everything's different, but-"

"That's the thing, I don't want it to be different!" Snow was taken aback by the sudden outburst. While Emma still spoke in a whisper, her statement was powerful and carried through the room.

"I don't understand," Snow prompted.

Emma shut the book and slid it away from her. She put her head in her hands and took some large breaths. Snow could see her shutting down emotionally. She started to say something to her to try to keep the conversation moving, when Emma's face shot up. She looked Snow right in the eye.

"Everything is changing and I can do literally nothing about it. I have to just accept the fact that everyone is a Fairytale character and pretend like that isn't that big of a deal. I have to deal with the fact that my son almost died at the hands of someone who was trying to kill ME. And now to top it off, I have two new parents to try to connect with even though I don't know where to start! I don't recognize my life anymore and that scares me! And you know what hurts the worst? I lost my best friend. And even though she may still be here physically, she is gone and I'm never getting her back!"

Snow didn't know how to respond to her. Emma had never truly opened up to her before. Surprisingly, Snow knew what Emma was going through. She didn't know how or why, maybe it was a maternal thing, but she completely understood Emma's situation.

She was hurt by the fact that Emma felt like she had lost her. Snow knew she would never desert Emma. She reached out and grasped her daughter's hand.

"Emma, look at me," she whispered. Emma slowly raised her head and made eye contact with her mother. "Emma, a lot is changing and I know that it must be hard for you. You have to completely change your lifestyle, and that is no where near easy. But I can tell you this, one thing will never change. You will never lose me. I will always be your best friend no matter what, and you will always be mine. If you need a friend, that is who I will be. Emma I promise you that you will never worry about that again, because I swear to you, I. Will. Never. Leave."

Snow could see tears in the corners of Emma's eyes. She was breaking through Emma's wall, she just knew it. Yet Snow could still sense that something else was troubling her, and that there were still more issues that needed to be discussed.

"Emma, what is it? Is something wrong? Would you like to talk?"

Emma shifted in her chair, making it squeak. She looked down at the table, not daring to glance at her mother. She pulled her hand away and placed it in her lap.

"No." Just like that, Emma had put her wall back up.

Snow sat there in silence, watching Emma stare at her hands. Snow was not about to leave, as she wanted to figure out what was troubling her daughter so the situation could be addressed.

"Emma, I'm trying. I'm trying to connect with you, I'm trying to help you, I'm trying to show you that I love you, Emma. And it isn't easy. You are rejecting almost everything I do. The point is that I'm trying, and I would appreciate if you would too. We won't get anywhere unless you meet me halfway," Snow said as she left the table and took their two cups to the sink. As she began to rinse them out, she heard Emma speak.

"There is something I need to get off my chest."

Snow turned to face her daughter. She hadn't even looked up. Snow could see tears dripping off the tip of her nose. Slowly Snow made her way back to Emma. She knelt down beside her and softly tilted her chin up. She looked into her little girl's eyes and saw pain and sorrow. She reached up to Emma's cheek and slowly wiped her tears away with her thumb.

"You can tell me anything, Emma."

Emma just stared at her. She twirled her thumbs, obviously trying to avoid having this conversation. She sighed.

"I meant what I said today at the diner, because I really do. But that doesn't take away the fact that I was alone and had no one who loved me for twenty-eight years." Snow sat back in her chair, but pulled it closer to Emma, listening attentively. "I understand that you gave me away so I could have my best chance. I get that, because that is what I did with Henry. It doesn't take away the fact that I thought I had been abandoned on the side of a road, but it does help knowing that that wasn't the case. I can't even describe how good it feels to finally know that I was wanted."

Snow wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye. Emma looked up from her lap and looked strait at Snow.

"But I was still alone. I was a baby, and I was left all by myself. Despite the fact that you sent me here to protect me, you abandoned me the second you didn't go through that wardrobe with me." The words stung. They forced Snow to relive the moment when Emma was taken from her arms over and over again. It had been her decision to send Emma through by herself. She had told James to put their newborn daughter in a wardrobe that was going to take her from them. Snow felt responsible for all of Emma's pain that came from having to be a foster child.

"Emma, I'm so sorry. I wanted to go through with you more than anything, and that was the original plan. I never wanted to put you through alone. I shouldn't have had James put you in there by yourself. I'm sorry for all the pain it has caused you. Believe me, if I had been able to go through with you, I would have. Can you forgive me?"

"No I can't! Because you did have the chance to go through and you chose not to! How could you? How could you send me through with just a little boy to protect me? There is no way he could have taken care of me, and he abandoned me as soon as we got here! How could you give up your spot for him?"

"Emma," Snow said, taking a deep breath, "what are you talking about?"

"The wardrobe! You gave up your spot in the wardrobe so a little boy could be saved. I get that that's an honorable thing to do, but you abandoned me!"

Snow could see the resentment on Emma's face. Her daughter wasn't making any sense. Only one could go through the wardrobe. Only. One.

Memories flashed through Snow's mind. The Blue Fairy, giving the terrible news that the tree could protect only one. Giving Emma away, because the wardrobe only took one. Only one. One.

"What are you talking about?" Snow asked, her tone firm. She could tell by the look on her daughter's face that she was taken aback, and almost surprised.

"You. Don't. Know." Emma's eyes widened at her recent discovery.

"Emma," Snow whispered, "the wardrobe only took one." Snow looked her daughter strait in the eyes and could see that Emma knew the truth. "Tell me that it only took one."

Emma shook her head.

"Who?" Snow inquired, yet she didn't want to know the answer.

"August," Emma started. Snow didn't understand. It didn't make any sense. Emma grabbed her mothers hand and squeezed it. "August, is Pinocchio."

The wheels spun in Snow's head. Pinocchio was only seven when she had last seen him. He had been with his father, helping him build the wardrobe. Suddenly it all made sense. Why Jiminy had seemed almost scared to see her. Why she didn't recognize August but always knew there was something familiar about him.

Snow clenched her fists. She could feel anger running through her veins. She had been robbed of a life with her daughter. Emma had been abandoned and left unprotected for twenty-eight years. Snow could think of nothing but her anger towards someone who she had always trusted. Someone who she once considered a friend and ally.

"Gepetto," she spat out.

**I'm thinking that the next chapter will be rather **_**charming…**_


	4. Chapter 4

**This particular chapter was difficult to write, so I hope ya'll enjoy what I came up with.**

The sound of a door slamming woke James up. He rolled over in an attempt to go back to sleep, just to find that Snow was gone. He saw a light coming from under the door, and he assumed that his wife was just in the kitchen. He got comfortable and began to drift off once more, when someone pounded on the bedroom door.

"Come in!" he said as he quickly sat up. The door opened to reveal Emma.

He could tell she had been crying, and she looked extremely worried. He started to ask her what was wrong when she cut him off.

"Mary Mar -Snow- is gone." James noticed that she stumbled over her words, and that she didn't seem keen on using her mother's real name.

"What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

"She ran out the door. I don't know why, but she was really mad about something when she left." By the way she looked at the ground when she spoke, James could tell that Emma knew what had angered Snow, but he decided not to dwell on that. He focused on the task at hand flipped the light on the nightstand on, showering the room with light.

"Did you see where she was headed?" he inquired. Inside he was worried out of his mind, but he need to stay calm or finding her was going to be all the more difficult.

He grabbed his white undershirt that was flung on the nightstand. He slipped it over his head and reached for the long-sleeved flannel shirt laying on the ground next to the bed. He fed his arms through the sleeves and buttoned up the shirt as quickly as he could.

"It looked like she was going to Granny's. But she could be headed anywhere."

James looked at the clock. It was just past three in the morning. He scanned the room for his jeans, only to find that they were a few feet from the bed. Not wanting his daughter to see him in his boxers, he sat in bed silently, hoping she would get the message. It didn't take her long to catch on, and she slid out of the room, closing the door behind her. James quickly hopped out of bed and slipped on his jeans. He found his socks wadded up on the floor and pulled them on. He grabbed his boots and headed to the kitchen.

Emma was leaning against the table, apparently waiting for him. He took a seat and slipped his boots on and began to lace them up.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go find her," he stated as he finished his right boot and began to work on his left.

"I was going to go look for her. I just woke you to see if you would stay with Henry." James paused and looked at his daughter. No matter what their relationship was, right now they each were greatly concerned for someone they loved.

"Emma, you are not going out there."

"I sure am. Finding people is what I do and-"

"I. Said. No." His voice was filled with authority. He hadn't intended to treat her like a child and enforce rules, but he was concerned for her safety and didn't want her wandering the streets of Storybrooke when he had no idea where the Queen was.

"I'm sorry," he said, earning a nod from her. He could tell she was surprised at the tone he had used, but that she understood. "Stay here with Henry. I'll let you know when I find her." He rose, slipped his jacket on, and made sure his phone was in his pocket. He opened the front door and began to leave when he turned.

"What is she mad about?" he asked, only to see Emma shake her head in reply. He didn't want to press the matter any further. "Be safe," he said as he walked out the door.

* * *

James had been wandering the streets for a while. Since he had no idea why Snow had left, he had no idea where to start looking for her. It was already hard enough to maneuver around town. The destruction they had seen before they had left for the apartment paled in comparison to the damages of the town. James did not like being out in the open in a town that he was sure was not safe, making him all the more eager to find his wife.

He made his way back to Granny's diner. He had already visited it earlier, to see if Snow had sought comfort with Red, but the windows were dark and it had appeared that no one was even there. When he returned he could see a glow coming from the kitchen. He pushed the door open and crept towards it. He silently pushed the door open.

"Who is that?" he heard Red yell. She grabbed the door and flung it the rest of the way open. James was startled at her fierceness. Her face relaxed when she saw him, and with a wave of her hand she invited him in.

There were several people in the kitchen. He spotted all of the dwarves, plus Granny. They all seemed deep in conversation with one another.

"What are you doing here?" Red asked in hushed tones.

"Snow is gone. She ran out in the middle of the night," James whispered.

"Are you out looking for her?" Red questioned, earning a nod from James. She grappled her jacket off of the counter and shrugged it on. "I'm coming with you." She held up a hand as he started to protest. "Look, if anyone can help you find her it's me."

Red walked over to Granny, whispered in her ear for a few moments, earning a nod from the old woman. She headed out the kitchen door and made her way to the street, with James following close behind.

"Why did she leave?" Red asked as she stood in the middle of the street. James could see the concentration on her face as she tried to pick up Snow's trail. She inhaled deeply, and her eyes shot open. She started jogging down the street and continued sniffing to make sure she was on the right path.

"She was angry about something," he said as he caught up to her.

Red stopped in the middle of the road. She turned and headed to a building. James caught a glimpse of the door and noticed that they were at Jiminy's office. He followed Red down the hallway, stopping as she knocked on the door.

The door creaked open. The man stepped out of the shadows. When he saw James, fear flashed across his face.

"We are looking for Snow and her trail leads here," Red stated. Jiminy nodded.

"Yes," he said, his voice trembling, "she was here."

* * *

EARLIER THAT NIGHT

Snow ran down the street, her fury overtaking her. She was going to have a word with that pathetic old man. She rarely let her anger govern her actions, but she had completely lost control and stormed out of the apartment. She was looking for vengeance, and she was determined to get it.

As she made her way through town, she realized she had no idea where she was going. A door caught her eye on her left, causing her to turn. The words 'Dr. Archie Hopper' stood out, causing her fingers to curl back into fists.

Jiminy.

She could feel hate for him rise in her, as he was just as much to blame. She knew he feared her, his behavior on the street explained that much. She was glad. He had had a reason to be frightened.

She stormed into his office without another thought. She made her way down the hallway and flung open his door without even bothering to knock. Her eyes scanned the room, resting on the man sitting in his hair with his head in his hands. He looked up at her and his expression twisted into one of horror.

"S-Snow," he stammered as he rose. She marched towards him and slapped him across the face. His hand flew to his cheek, yet he made no move to defend himself.

"You," she whispered, "lied to me." Her voice was quiet, yet menacing.

"Snow you have to understand-"

"YOU LIED TO ME!" she bellowed, silencing him. "I trusted you! You were my friend! Yet that didn't stop you from deceiving me!"

Jiminy had tears running down his face. He could only imagine how hurt Snow was.

"Snow." His voice was barely audible.

"What!" she yelled.

"I'm sorry-"

"You should be!" she screamed.

"I'm not the one to blame!" the cricket said, his voice rising for the first time since Snow had entered his office, startling her. "I was not the one who made the decision to put him in there! I told him to let you go through with her, but he wouldn't listen to me! I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen to me!"

Jiminy collapsed onto the sofa and started to weep. Snow stared at him in silence. She could tell that he felt nothing but remorse. Her anger had not gone away, yet she felt terrible for taking her fury out on someone who truly was not to blame in the least. She wanted to apologize, but the words caught in her throat.

"Where is he?" she whispered.

Jiminy looked up at her. "Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

The words stung Snow. She knew he was right. Yet nothing would stop her from finding the old man and putting him in his place.

"He didn't just hurt me that day, Jiminy, he hurt her," she said looking into his eyes.

He could feel the pain that she was feeling, not for her, but for her daughter. He sighed. "He is at his home."

Snow turned on her heel and headed out the door, leaving the cricket to deal with his conscience.

* * *

"Why would she be looking for Gepetto?" James asked after Jiminy had told them where she was headed.

"I think she should be the one to give you that answer," he said. He silently closed the door, shutting them out.

"Well now at least we know where to find her." Red left the building and took off down the street. James ran to keep up, and eventually fell into step with her.

As they made their way down the road, James spotted a flash of pink. Upon closer inspection, he saw his wife, kicking down the door of Gepetto's home.

"Snow!" he yelled, but she couldn't hear him. He saw her break the door and slip inside the house. He sprinted towards the property, all the while wondering what had angered her so much that she would attack an old friend.

The door was laying on the ground, wood chips surrounding it. James stepped over it and entered into the house. He found himself in the kitchen, his wife nowhere to be seen. Red followed behind him, glancing around the room.

Suddenly he heard a crash that seemed like it was coming from behind a door to his right. He grasped the knob and flung it open. His eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him.

They were in Gepetto's garage and workshop. There were tables stacked with wood, tools, and various projects all around. Gepetto himself was cowering in the corner, his eyes clouded with fear. He was surrounded by pieces of ceramic, based on the various shapes they appeared to be a smashed vase of some sort. James did not understand what was occurring until shrieks interrupted his thoughts.

"YOU SAID THAT THE WARDROBE ONLY TOOK ONE! YOU LIED TO US! YOU DIDN'T JUST BETRAY US, YOU BETRAYED HER! SHE WAS ALONE BECAUSE OF YOU!"

The screams were accompanied by the sound of pots being smashed. Gepetto was shaking with sobs as he backer further into the corner, and eventually falling to his knees and burying his face in his hands

James turned to see his wife hurling objects at the carpenter. He had no idea what had brought on her rage, but could tell that it was no little matter.

The woman in front of him did not seem like Snow. Snow never let her emotions influence the way she acted. She was a kind and loving person, who would never hurt anyone, let alone her friend. She had a temper, that much was true, but she never acted on it. He had only seen her like this once before, but then she had been under a spell causing her to forget all the love in her life. That was the only time he had ever seen hate in her eyes, and now, her eyes glowed with dark fury.

He rushed to her and grabbed her arms, steadying her. He could feel her tremble with rage. He looked into her eyes, and saw pain unlike any he had seen before.

"Snow," he said, attempting to shake her out of this trance. She seemed disconnected and refused to listen.

"SNOW!" he yelled, trying to calm his wife down, with no success. "Come back to me," he whispered.

Her head snapped up and she gazed into his eyes. He saw grief clouding her green irises. She bust into tears and he pulled her to him. He held her in a close embrace as she wept, soaking his neck with her tears. He ran his fingers through her hair and planted kisses on her head. He still had no idea what was going on, but he didn't care at the moment. His wife needed him, and he was going to be there for her.

"Shh, it okay. I've got you. Everything will be alright," he said just loud enough that she was the only one that could hear him.

James saw Red kneeling by Gepetto, conversing with him. She helped the man back to his feet and led him to his kitchen, shutting the garage door behind them. James made a mental note to speak with the woodcarver as soon as he could.

"I don't know what came over me. I just, snapped," she said as she attempted to stop sobbing.

"What were you so mad about?" he asked quietly.

Sh pulled out of his embrace and looked into his eyes. "The wardrobe took two."

James didn't understand. It didn't make any sense. Emma had to go in by herself on that awful day because there was only one spot. Only. One. Spot.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"August is Pinocchio. James, Gepetto gave up my spot so that his son could come here with Emma." James shook his head, not wanting to believe what she was saying.

"How-what-who told you?" he managed to get out, his thoughts still trying to comprehend what he was hearing.

"Emma, she, she asked why we abandoned her. Why we gave up our spot for someone else. James, she thought we had knowingly put her in there with just a seven-year-old boy to protect her. August had told her about coming through."

James could see why Snow had overreacted. He understood the pain in her eyes. He felt betrayed. His daughter had been ripped from them and had to live a life alone, when there had been a chance that she could have had her mother by her side. James grieved for his daughter. She had been abandoned and left to live a life without love or protection, and he could do nothing about it. He began to weep as he thought of the pain his daughter had to endure, pain that could easily have been avoided.

James clung to Snow and they sobbed together. The shed tears for the twenty-eight years that they had been separated from their little girl. They cried for every moment that had caused her pain, pain that they were not able to protect her from. James's heart ached for his family. They had been separated for almost three decades, not even knowing that they were a family.

James held his wife close and silently vowed to never let anything hurt their family again.

**One thing I love about the show is the fact that they show the weaknesses in the characters and they don't pretend that all the good people are perfect. I really love the idea that everyone has a dark side, and decided to explore that. I love the character of Snow and I loved the episode with Snow Dark. I hope you guys enjoyed a glimpse of the "dark side" of one of my favorite characters.**

**Now, a few people have asked about Regina. All I can say is that I would be extremely disappointed if we didn't find out what was going on with her in the near future… **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it took so long to update! School started and now I'm super busy, but I will continue to make time to write as my story is just getting started!**

A ray of sunlight shined right in Emma's eyes, waking her up. She groaned and flipped over onto her stomach, burying her head in her pillow. She had barely slept at all last night, plus she had had the strangest dream.

She must have been spending too much time with Henry. She had actually dreamed that the curse was real! She had been thrown into a world full of Fairytale characters, including her long-lost parents. It was completely ridiculous. There was no possible way that the stories she had grown up with were true and that she was from a mystical land. She made a mental note to speak to Henry about Operation Cobra. He needed to tone down all this Fairytale crap.

The smell of breakfast wafted up from the kitchen. Emma's stomach rumbled and she started to get out of bed, eager to eat the delicious meal Mary Margaret had made. Emma always counted herself lucky that her roommate was such a good cook.

As she stood and made her way to the door, she heard something peculiar. Voices. Unless Mary Margaret had gone crazy and was talking to herself, there was someone else here. Emma listened, trying to discern the two-no three- voices. She picked out Mary Margaret's voice right away. She heard a deep voice, and if she wasn't mistaken, it belonged to David. She wondered what he was doing here as Mary Margaret had clearly ended it with him weeks ago. She shrugged it off and began to open the door when she heard the third voice loud and clear. It was unmistakably Henry's, and now she wondered what was going on. Why would he be here for breakfast? And why was David here? Nothing was making sense.

Emma froze. She thought back to her dream, realizing that it wasn't a dream at all. Henry was right about the curse. Henry had almost died and her true love's kiss had saved him. Magic was back in Storybrooke. Her parents, Snow White and Prince Charming, we're downstairs right this second.

Emma felt light headed. She sat on the ground with her back against the wall. She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling. She was dizzy and couldn't think strait. Yesterday it had been easy to accept the truth, but now she didn't know if she could even attempt to deal with it. It was so overwhelming. Plus she was just plain tired.

She had stayed up almost all last night. She had spent a few hours flipping through Henry's book, just so she could try to understand what was going on around her. And then she had stupidly slipped and told Snow about the wardrobe, causing her to snap and run out of the apartment. She had stayed up waiting for James to find her, and once they had gotten home she had wordlessly gone up to her room and collapsed on the bed.

There was a faint knock on the door. Her head jerked up.

"Emma?" her mother whispered. Emma took a deep breath. She didn't think she was ready for this, but she figured that she couldn't hide from it forever.

"Come in."

Snow slowly slipped inside Emma's room, closing the door behind her.

"Breakfast is ready. I would suggest you come soon before Henry eats all the pancakes." She spoke softly and had a small smile across her face.

"I'm not hungry."

Snow sat down next to Emma, making sure not to sit to close.

"You okay?" she asked. Emma sighed and nodded. She knew right away that her mother sensed that she was lying, but she didn't care.

"Emma, you know you can talk to me."

Emma sighed. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for this whole family thing. I don't know if I'm ready to be a daughter just yet" she confided.

Snow nodded. "I understand. It must be a lot to handle. But remember that while you aren't ready to be a daughter, you do have to be a mother to Henry now."

"I've been ready for that since the moment I laid eyes on him," Emma said without thinking. She noticed tears glistening in her mother's eyes. She realized what effect her words had had on the woman. She had been ready to be a mother, yet that chance had been ripped from her. Emma knew that she didn't want to be anyone's daughter yet, but she wanted to be a mother more than anything in the world. She understood what Snow was feeling. Snow had waited twenty-eight years to be someone's mother, and now her daughter didn't want her to act like a parent. Emma knew that while this was tough for her, she needed to suck it up and get over it. It was time for her to stop being selfish. She decided right then and there that she was going to open up to her parents, maybe not all at once, but her wall would still come down.

She reached over and grabbed her mothers hand.

"I'm going to meet you halfway," she whispered. "You have been trying and I'm going to start attempting to open up to you now."

"Whatever you want Emma. I just want you to be happy. If you aren't comfortable with this, I want you to tell me. Because, believe it or not, I'm here for you and I always will be."

She sat in silence, next to her mother, and realized that while this was nearly impossible for her to process, she was happy. She had never felt this much happiness in her entire life. Just knowing that her parents loved her brought her so much joy. She knew that she would never want to hurt them, knowing now that they had never wanted to give her up.

"I'm sorry I told you about the wardrobe."

She could hear Snow take a deep breath. "Don't feel bad. I would have found out sooner or later. Besides, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry I flipped out and ran off last night. I really don't know what came over me."

"I'm still not sure if I completely understand what happened..."

"Honestly, I would prefer it if it stayed that way. What happened with the wardrobe is something that your father and I have and will continue to address. Last night a dark side of me came out and I reacted to your news in a way I'm not proud of."

"Can you just tell me why it made you so angry?" Emma asked quietly.

"Basically, we were told that the wardrobe only took one. We were planning on going through with you, but multiple people lied to us. I just couldn't believe that they had willingly let our family be ripped apart when there was a chance that we could have stayed together." Emma could see the emotion on her mother's face. She was beginning to understand the heartbreak that her mother had gone through, and couldn't imagine what that could have been like.

Emma scooted closer to Snow and leaned her head on her shoulder. It wasn't much, but Emma felt that it was the best comfort she could give. Slowly her mother placed her arm around Emma's shoulders, pulling her into a small hug.

Emma realized that this is what she wanted more then anything. She wanted to have a relationship with her parents.

After a minute Emma broke out of the hug, stood, and opened her door. She turned to Snow and smiled.

"I hope Henry saved me at least one pancake," she said as she headed down the stairs to have breakfast with her family.

* * *

"How long have they been gone?" Henry asked as he took a seat next to Emma at the kitchen table. She had his book in flipped open in front of her and was attempting to read.

"A couple of hours. But remember, they had to stop at his house and pick up his stuff, then they had to go get some things for you, plus they were going to go see some friends. It's not a walk in the park, kiddo."

Snow and James had determined that it was safe to leave the apartment that morning, and had left shortly after breakfast. Emma had wanted to go with them, as she was eager to get out of this apartment. Much to her protests, she was firmly told to stay put. Emma hated being told what to do, but she understood their reasoning. Regina was still out there and Emma and Henry were two people that she was probably looking for. Besides, Snow and James had other business to attend to, and it made more sense for just the two of them to go. Emma was not happy at being left behind, but she was determined not to complain about it.

Henry looked over her shoulder at the illustration on the page.

"What are you reading about?"

"I'm doing a little family history," she said, earning a smile from Henry. "I figured I should start from the beginning, so I'm reading about how they met."

"I always liked that story. Will you read it to me?"

Emma was surprised at first. She was obviously filling the mother role for him, but they had never had a moment like this. She realized that being able to read to her son was a simple thing that she had always wanted to do. Emma nodded and picked up the book. They moved over to the couch and made themselves comfortable. Much to Emma's delight, Henry snuggled right up against her. She cleared her throat and began to read.

She had no idea how much time had passed. The two of them were so engrossed in the story that they didn't notice Snow and James return, laden with bags. Emma finished the tale of the Troll Bridge and flipped the page, fully prepared to start a new story, when she heard James clear his throat. She glanced up at him, noticing for the first time that he was there.

"Henry we got some of your stuff." He held out two duffel bags packed tightly with Henry's things. The boy hopped up and took the bags from his grandfather. He took them up to Emma's room, as she had already cleared space for him to keep his things there.

Emma shut the book and placed it on the coffee table. She stood and stretched.

"So did you guys get everything done today?"

James sighed. "We got all of Henry and my things, but that was the only really productive thing that happened. We stopped by Granny's, and as it turns out, there are hardly any people who will leave their homes. Everyone is afraid of magic and Regina, so they refuse to come and talk with us." He walked over to the couch and sat down. Emma joined him, but made sure to keep her space.

"I get the Regina part, but I thought that people were used to magic."

He shook his head. "Magic here is, well, different. I don't know much about it, but I can tell that it is more dangerous here. I mean you saw the town before we got back here, it was a mess! But I still think that it's safe enough to leave our homes."

Emma nodded. While she wasn't sure she quite understood, she could tell that James was frustrated.

"You could call a meeting at Granny's tomorrow. Whoever doesn't show up can deal with it. I think it's important to at least have some idea of what we are doing."

James nodded, and Emma could tell that he agreed with her.

"Yeah, I think that would be our best shot. We need to go ahead and take action." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. He entered a number into his keypad. As the phone rang, he leaned to Emma. "I'm calling Granny to clear it with her. Then I'll start getting in touch with other - Granny! It's James. I have something I need to run by you," he said as he slipped into the bedroom for some privacy.

Emma glanced at the kitchen and noticed Snow pulling food out of the refrigerator. Emma slowly walked towards her mother, determined to not put her wall back up. They had had such a good talk this morning, but Emma wasn't sure if she was ready for another one. She was still getting used to having a family.

"What are you making?" she inquired as she leaned against the counter.

"Well, but the looks of what we have, I think it will be spaghetti tonight. I really should have stopped at the grocery store on our way home." She began to pull pots out of the cupboards.

"Would you like any help?" The question caught Snow off guard. She turned to Emma.

"Absolutely," she said with a smile, "but you don't have to unless you really want to."

Emma knew that Snow could read her like an open book. "I just feel bad. You do all the work and I just take and take. I feel like if I'm Henry's mom, then I should be the one providing for him."

Snow didn't say anything for a minute or so. Emma could tell that she was trying to absorb what Emma had just said, and that her mother was trying to pick her words very carefully.

"Emma, you shouldn't feel bad. All these things that I've done for you, and all the things that I will do in the future, I do them for two reasons. The first is that I'm your mother and I want to take care of you. The second is that I love you. I didn't get to take care of you when you were little, so I guess I'm trying to redeem myself now. And anyway, I understand how you feel about Henry, but you forget that he is my family too and I love him just as much. Besides, it's not like much has changed. You never really did cook much."

Emma could see a hint of a smile on her mother's face. She gave a small laugh, but she was still trying to process Snow's words. Snow was very open about her feelings, and Emma needed to get used to that.

She rolled her sleeves up and walked towards the stove.

"How do you boil pasta again?" she said, earning a laugh from Snow.

* * *

"I'm all ready for bed," Henry muttered as he came out of the bathroom, clearly not happy with his bedtime. Emma stood and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Say goodnight."

"Can't I stay up? One more story, please!" he whined.

"Tell you what," James said, "if you go to bed now I will tell you all about my adventures with dragons at breakfast tomorrow." Henry's eyes sparkled.

"You promise?"

"Absolutely" James told him as he pulled his grandson into a tight hug. Henry wrapped his arms around him and returned it.

"Don't you leave without giving me one," Snow joked, holding her arms open. Henry ran into them and gave his grandmother a tight squeeze. Emma felt a surge of affection for her family watching her parents interact so easily with her son.

Henry pulled away and headed up the stairs. He turned when he reached the top.

"Don't forget about the dragons!" he hollered.

James chuckled. "I won't!"

Emma followed her son into her room. He had already hopped under the covers and was settling down. She pulled the blankets up under his chin.

"Do you want me to read you a story?"

He shook his head. "I'm kinda tired actually," he said, yawning. "Thanks though."

She watched him snuggle under the covers. She sat at the foot of the bed and watched him settle down. His breathing slowed and she could tell that he was pretty much asleep. She leaned forward and brushed his hair out of his eyes. She bent down and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"I love you Henry," she whispered.

"I love you too, Mom." Emma had not expected to hear him call her "mom". She realized how much those words meant to her. She could not describe how happy she was. Those were the best words she had ever heard in her entire life.

Quietly, and beaming, she slipped out the door and headed downstairs. The lights in the living room were turned off and only one remained on in the kitchen.

James was standing alone at the island, sipping on what appeared to be hot chocolate. Emma went over and stood next to him.

"Where is Snow?" she asked.

"She was headed to bed. She was pretty tired after today and last night." He continued to sip on his drink.

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'm wide awake."

"So you are drinking cocoa to help you go to sleep." James looked at Emma and raised his eyebrow. "I've been living with her for a year. She swears by the stuff when she can't sleep. I figured she would have told you the same thing," Emma explained.

James laughed. "She has been telling me to drink cocoa since before we were married. She is obsessed with the stuff. You know she used to make me go on a two day journey jut to get this certain type of cinnamon she liked."

Emma chuckled. "I don't blame her. Cinnamon is the best," Emma said with a smile.

James grew quiet and finished off his drink. Emma could tell there was something he wanted to say. She wasn't sure if she was ready for a big bonding moment, but she had already decided that she was not going to shut him out.

"Emma," he started looking right at her. "I know that it has been tough for you your whole life, and I just want you to know that I'm sorry. You didn't deserve all that pain, and I wish I could have protected you from it." He shoved his hands in his pockets, waiting for her response.

"It's not your fault. You don't need to apologize for something that you couldn't control." She looked at him, trying to determine what he was thinking.

"Emma, I wanted to be there for you. I wanted to take care of you. But I couldn't. And that kills me. It's all I've ever wanted." Emma saw tears pooling in his eyes. One ran down his cheek. She stared at her father, and couldn't help but love him. He was a great man, and she was lucky that she was his daughter.

"I have something for you," he said, surprising her. "I found it in my sock drawer in this old box I've never opened before. I must have unknowingly brought stuff with me when I came here." She noticed his fist was balled up and she knew that the object was in his hand. "I found my wedding ring too. Not David's, but my own," he said, showing her the silver band on his finger. She could tell he was stalling because he wasn't sure how she would respond to his gift.

He took a deep breath. "I was going to send it with Snow through the wardrobe, so you would have something from me. But when plans changed, I got caught up in the rush of things and forgot to give it to you." He opened his fingers, showing her the object. He looped it through his index finger and his thumb, holding it up and letting it dangle in front of her.

It was beautiful. A gorgeous silver pendant hung from a silver chain. There were bands of the metal wrapped around a bright green stone that was cut into a circle. Light bounced off the stone causing it to shimmer. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid her eyes on. It was something fit for a princess.

James reached up and turned the pendent over. On the back, engraved into the metal, was an initial. A gorgeous, swirly letter that stood out against the silver. It was and "E". Emma reached out and touched the necklace, mesmerized by it.

"It is the same type of stone that is in your mothers wedding ring," he whispered. "I had the dwarves make it as soon as we found out you were a girl. It was engraved as soon as we picked out your name." Emma just stared at the piece of jewelry. She had never been given a gift so meaningful and so lovely.

"You don't have to wear it if you don't want-"

"Are you crazy? It's so beautiful. I absolutely love it." He smiled, and she could tell that it made him happy that she was accepting his gift. "Can you put it on me?"

She turned, lifting her hair off her neck. She felt his hands loop around her head. She could feel him clasping the chain together at the base of her neck. She felt him let go of the necklace, and it settled on her collarbone. She reached up and touched it, marveling at how much she loved his gift.

She turned around and faced him. "Thank you." She flung her arms around him, catching him off guard and surprising herself. He gladly wrapped his arms around her, holding her in his embrace. She had never felt this protected in her life.

"I love you so much," he whispered. She could hear the emotion in his voice.

"I love you too."

* * *

"So you fought two dragons?" Henry asked James in between bites of his eggs. Emma had never heard such excitement in his voice. She couldn't help but smile. She was starting to like these family meals.

James nodded. "I guess it's a hobby of mine." Snow rolled her eyes, causing Emma to laugh.

"You know," Emma said, setting her fork down, "it's not as hard as it looks."

James raised an eyebrow. Henry turned to his mother. "Are you saying that you have fought a dragon?!"

Emma nodded, earning a smile from Henry. Snow's jaw dropped and James's eyes grew wide.

"That. Is. So. Cool. Can you please tell us the story?"

Emma beamed and opened her mouth to begin her tale, when the doorbell rang.

Everyone froze and looked at the door.

"Who could that be?" Snow whispered, fear in her voice. There was a chance that it could just be one of their friends, but there were also a lot of very dangerous people in this town. And their friends would have called before they stopped by. Not very people would come unannounced.

Emma silently rose and tip-toed towards the coat rack. She slipped her hand inside of her jacket pocket and pulled out her gun. She held it behind her back and quietly placed her hand on the doorknob. She slowly twisted it and pulled it open towards her.

There was a stranger standing in the doorway. She was tall, but looked very young. Her dark hair was reddish-brown and complemented her stunningly blue eyes. Her skin was light and freckled. Her hair was cut above her shoulders and looked as if she had been running her fingers through it. She had a pair of black sunglasses perched on top of her head. She wore a tight, black, leather jacket and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. She had a pair of black combat boots on her feet, and they looked scuffed and well-used. She wore a tie-dye t-shirt under her jacket. She had a black backpack slung over her shoulder, and it appeared to be full. She parted her rosy lips, revealing strait, white teeth.

"Are you Emma Swan?" she said. Her voice was velvety and her words rolled off her tongue. Emma nodded.

"I'm Riley. My father sent me to find you." Emma stared at the girl, not knowing how to react.

**I hoped you liked this chapter. While there wasn't a lot of action, there was some much needed family bonding. I wanted to show that Emma really does want to bond with her parents, and she has to go out of her comfort zone to do so.**

**Who do you guys think Riley is? I would love to hear your theories!**

**While I love spending time with the Charming family, I really would like to know what Regina is up to…**


	6. Chapter 6

**I figured that I might as well post this chapter. While it was a very fun one to write, it was also very difficult and I kept editing. This is the best it will get. Hope you enjoy!**

Regina was furious. She was happy that her son was alive, but other than that, she was angry. She paced back and forth through her office in an attempt to calm herself down. It wasn't working.

She had worked so hard to enact this curse. She had sacrificed her own father so that she could cast it. Finally she had ripped everything that Snow White loved away from her. And now, everything was ruined. All because of Emma and a kiss.

She was truly glad that Henry was okay. She would not have been able to live with herself had he died. But she still despised the fact that in the act of saving him, her curse had been broken. She should not have trusted the sleeping curse. It had been broken before, so she was not surprised that it had been broken once more.

It didn't help that Miss Swan had taken Henry. She had no legal right to him. Just because she was his birth mother does not give her the right to take him away. Regina had raised him. She had always taken care of him. She had given him everything, including her love. And now her son was gone.

She knew she had to get him back. She couldn't let him stay with Emma. Regina suspected that it would be difficult taking her son back. Snow and her Prince would try to protect him. They were another annoying obstacle that she would have to figure out how to get rid of.

Regina knew she had to be careful. While the curse wasn't completely broken, they would have returned home if it was, it was more fragile than it had ever been. Everyone remembered, making each resident of the town more dangerous than they had been even in Fairytale Land.

Regina stopped pacing and grabbed an apple out of the bowl on her desk. It was dead. They all were. She hurled it at her wall. It hit her mirror and was squished. Juices ran down the reflective face. Regina realized who she needed.

"Guards!" she shouted. Two men hurried into the office.

She was pleased that all of her knight had returned to her. They were rather loyal beings. The two in front of her were dressed in all black, like their armor back home, but here they opted for leather jackets and jeans.

"There is a man and I am in need of his assistance. He can be found in the mental department of the hospital. You will find a door in the east hallway. The code is 61501. He will be in a room labeled 'S. Glass'. Bring him to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they said in unison as the left her office. She took a seat behind her desk. She hated waiting.

* * *

_He was beautiful. He had thick, brown hair that stuck strait up. His eyes were a stunning green, a color that reminded her of someone she once knew._

_He yawned and stretched. He had the cutest facial expressions. She reached out to touch him and his little hand curled around her finger. There was only two other people that she loved as much as she loved him._

_"Hi Henry," she cooed. He gazed at her with his big eyes. "I love you."_

_This was what she had always wanted. A child of her own. Someone she could love unconditionally. Someone who she could care for and nurture. Someone who didn't see her as evil._

_He started to fuss, so she stood and rocked him in her arms. He quieted down after a minute, and his eyes closed. She could feel his long, slow, breaths as he fell asleep. She tip-toed to his crib and placed him in inside it. She stood over his crib and watched him sleep. He was so peaceful, and so perfect._

_He was three weeks old today. He was so tiny and so little. He was born a seven pound six ounce baby, a very good size, but now he was a little over eight pounds. She was grateful that she got a newborn. Regina knew that it would have been harder to bond with an older child._

_She couldn't help but wonder about his birth mother. She didn't really care to be honest, but she wanted to know how the woman was taking this. She dismissed the thought. Henry's birth mother was insignificant. She meant nothing. Her connection with her son was broken. Regina was his mother now._

* * *

Regina was shaken from her memory as she heard a pounding on her office door. She stood and composed herself. She should not dwell on things of the past. Thinking about her son made her miss him even more, and the determination to get him back just grew inside her.

"Enter."

Her knights walked in, dragging a man between them. He hung limp in their arms. His face was hollow and his clothes were tattered. His eye was blackened, and blood ran down his chin.

"I wanted him in one piece," she growled, displeased at the state he was in.

"He put up a struggle. We had to force him to comply."

"Place him there," she said, gesturing to a spot on the floor. Her guards dropped him and he fell in a crumpled heap. "Leave us," she ordered.

She made her way towards her guest, folding her arms across her chest. She sneered at him. He was pathetic. Useful, but pathetic none the less.

"I am rather displeased that you didn't return to me."

He looked at her for the first time. "It is difficult when one is locked in a prison cell in the mental ward, Your Majesty."

"Oh stop complaining Genie. You bore me. Now, there is something I need you to do."

"If I am not mistaken, you were the one who made me take the fall for kidnapping an innocent woman. I don't think this is the time to be asking me for favors."

Her hand darted out and grasped his throat. She pulled him up to eye level and squeezed. His eyes bulged and his breathing was strained.

"You are bound to me. You are my servant and my slave no matter what form you are in." She tossed him away from her. His hands flew to his neck while he coughed and tried to regain his breath.

She grabbed an object off of her desk. She held it in the air and waved it in front of him.

"Do you remember when you gave me this mirror?" He nodded. "I feel that you are more useful to me as my mirror, wouldn't you agree?" She smirked, causing him to pale.

"Please, no. Not that prison."

"I'm afraid that you don't have a choice. Stand." He slowly obeyed, his face absent of expression. She turned the mirror so that it was facing him. He stared at his reflection for a moment, and then she snapped her fingers. A cloud of black smoke surrounded him. When it cleared, he was gone. She turned the mirror to face her and was delighted to see her pet once more.

He looked miserable. But she had never cared about that before, so she saw no reason to start now.

"I need you to spy on the Charmings for me. Find out what they are up to." She set the mirror down on her desk, assuming he had left.

"Why?"

He had never once questioned her. He was the most loyal of her servants, and would never attempt to come between her and one of her plans.

"What did you say to me?"

"I asked why they need to be watched. Why is this so important to you?"

"I want my son back and that won't happen unless I know each and every one of their movements. Now go!" she barked as she shooed him away. The face of the mirror grew cloudy and she took a seat behind her desk once more.

She was eager to have her son returned to her, but she knew that would be no easy task. For sure he was with Miss Swan, as she had last seen them together at the hospital. And as much as she hated to admit it, the woman loved Henry and would now be very protective of him. There was no doubt in Regina's mind that Snow had found her Prince and that they were now reunited with their daughter. The thought made her sick. She didn't want her son anywhere near that horrible woman.

Regina knew that she would have to destroy the Charmings once and for all. Emma would be rather tricky, as her death would send everyone home, but felt that it would be easier to come after Snow and her true love. She needed a plan. Having magic would help, no doubt about that, but she would need assistance. Her knights had always proved useful, but there was someone that she knew would get her the results she needed. Her lips curled into a smile as she thought about him. He was perfect, but she would need some leverage in order to get him to work for her.

She picked up her phone and dialed. It rang for a few moments, and then one of her knights picked up.

"There is someone I need you to bring to me. As quickly as possible." She described the person to him, and once he understood his assignment, he hung up. She tossed her phone onto her desk and couldn't help but laugh.

She was going to have such fun playing with the Mad Hatter.

* * *

She appeared in a cloud of smoke in Jefferson's driveway. She had missed teleporting. It was so convenient. She walked up to his door. She removed a bright red apple from her coat pocket and placed it on his door mat. Surely he would get her message. She rang the doorbell and retreated back into the woods. She wanted to have her conversation with him there. She hated his house and refused to go inside.

It only took a few minutes before he joined her. He looked ragged and disheveled. His eyes were hollow and lined with bags. They were bloodshot and his pupils were wide. His hair stuck up all over the place, and his whiskers were longer than they had ever been. He usually was so groomed and put together that his appearance startled the Queen.

"Jefferson. I assume you have been well?" she mocked.

"Whatever you want from me forget it. Every time I have worked for you has resulted in you ripping my daughter away," he spat, tossing her apple back to her.

"Have you been reunited with your dear Grace?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I have not been able to find her. I'm assuming you already know that."

"There is something I need taken care of. A little problem. And you are just the man for the job."

"No."

"Jefferson, I don't think you can afford to turn me down," she smirked.

"What are you implying?" he questioned, his eyes dark and suspicious.

"Let's just say that if you don't do this for me, you will never get your daughter back."

He lunged at her, grasping for her throat. His eyes filled with rage as he attempted to strangle her. She waved her hand and sent him sprawling across the forest floor.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"

She laughed and pulled her mirror out of her pocket. The image on it became clear. She held it out to him. He snatched it out of her hands and stared at it, his face blank.

"Oh Grace," he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

She was lying in a basement. She lay on a mattress and appeared to be unconscious. Her hands were bound and she had a gag tied around her mouth.

He glared at Regina, fully prepared to kill her right then and there.

"Release her now."

"I will set her free the second you fulfill the task at hand."

"And what might that be?" he said, his lip curled in a grimace.

"It's simple really. Bring me Prince Charming."

"What do you need him for? And that has nothing to do with my hat so why do you need my assistance? Just send a knight after him."

She paced in front of the man. "Why I need him does not concern you. I chose you, Jefferson, not because you are skilled with that magic hat of yours, but because you never fail to follow through. And results are what I need." She patted his cheek and took her mirror back. "You have two days to bring him to me. Or else poor Grace will have to suffer the consequences."

She cackled as she disappeared, returning to her office.

* * *

"They are all gathered at Snow White's apartment."

"And my son is with them?" Regina inquired, not wanting to hear the answer.

"Yes."

"Did you find out anything useful?" she snapped.

"Not much. I believe that they are planning to hold a meeting at the diner tomorrow. I didn't get many details before they went to sleep."

"That gives me nothing! How do you expect me to get my son back if I don't have any details of their movement! You are worthless!" she yelled as she slammed the mirror face down on her desk.

She was going crazy. Not having Henry was driving her mad. She had suspected that she was already mad before the curse was even enacted, but now she was being pushed over the edge. He was her son. He did not belong to that tramp. She would do nothing but ruin him. Regina clenched her teeth at the thought of Miss Swan raising him. He had become such a good boy, but she had been a bad influence since the moment she rolled into town in that stupid yellow bug.

She sank into her chair and held her head in her hands. She needed her son. She wasn't complete without him. She was willing to do anything to get him back; anything to break up the Charming family once and for all.

She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a small dagger. She ran her finger along the edge of the blade, slicing her skin. Blood drizzled down from the cut. She ran her finger along it and healed it with magic.

She had intended just to take the Prince's heart and use it to manipulate him. Having him under her control would be quite useful. But she realized that more drastic actions needed to be taken.

He was in the way of her getting Henry back. He was protecting Miss Swan and Snow White. He was certainly leading a war against her. It would be easier if he was out of her way. It would be truly traumatic for them if he was gone. The Charming family would be torn apart. She could take down Emma. Snow White's happy ending would be ripped from her once more. She would have her son back.

Regina knew what she had to do. She smiled. She couldn't help but love her new plan. She held the dagger up to the light.

Regina couldn't wait to kill Prince Charming.

**Someone has some evil plans! Let me know what you think about Regina's plot!**

**Also, we will soon be finding out about the mysterious Riley…**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm so sorry that this took so long you guys! School has been really stressful lately, plus my mother took my iPad hostage and that was the only place where this story was saved. But anyways, I am really grateful for all the reviews! This chapter was hard to write, and I had a lot of writer's block, so I'm just happy that it finally came together. Enjoy!**

Riley leaned against the doorframe, a cocky smile on her face.

"So are you going to let me in or what?"

Emma didn't know what to say. Here was this complete stranger who's was asking to be invited inside the moment after she introduced herself.

"I don't even know who you are-"

"But I know who YOU are," she said, cutting Emma off. "Trust me, that is what matters right now." She pushed past Emma and waltzed into the apartment like she owned the place. She looked around and took in her surroundings.

Emma slowly shut the door as Riley walked around. She didn't even know how to respond to this strange girl. Henry was watching her with fascination, and Emma could tell that he thought she was a character from his book. Snow was glaring at the stranger while James was gaping at her.

Riley turned to face them all. She slipped her backpack off her shoulders and threw it on the couch.

"What's for breakfast? I'm starving."

"Hold on there, you can't just come here and ask for food without even telling us who you are," Emma said as she glared at her.

"I told you, my name is Riley. And besides, I'm not the important one here, you are," she gestured towards Emma.

"You keep saying that, yet have failed to explain yourself so far," Snow said, full of authority.

Riley sighed dramatically. She ran her fingers through her hair slowly, not saying a word. She shrugged her jacket off and tossed it beside her backpack. She pulled out Emma's now vacant chair and turned it around, sitting it in backwards.

"Fine, you really want to know how much I know? You, Emma Swan, we're found on the side of a freeway wrapped in a blanket with your name stitched on it. But we both know that you were actually found in the middle of the woods, the papers were just fed false information. You grew up in the foster system and got bumped around from family to family until you finally got out. Then you got preggers with, I'm assuming, that kid, had him in jail, and then gave him up for adoption. Then you kinda just drifted around and worked your way from place to place until you landed in Boston. Then one day you up and disappeared, then had your stuff mailed to you a couple of weeks later to a town in Maine, here obviously. Then you became sheriff and did your thing until a few days ago something changed and now you know who you really are and we can all stop pretending that you are not important."

Emma's jaw dropped. Who was this girl? How did she know so much about her? Snow and James each had expressions of shock, while Henry was trying to process the excess information.

"How do you know so much about me?" Emma asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"I've been keeping tabs on you for years. It would have been hard to find you if I didn't even know where you were or even who you are for that matter."

"You know about the curse, don't you?" Henry asked. Emma turned and looked at her son, as she had almost forgotten that he was here.

Everyone stared at Riley, waiting for her to confirm his suspicion.

"I know that Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and that they are sitting right there," she whispered, earning a gasp from everyone in the room.

"How do you know?" Henry hollered, full of excitement. His eyes sparkled and there was a smile plastered across his face.

Riley rose from her chair and silently walked to the living room. She picked her backpack up off the sofa and unzipped it.

"My father gave me this," she said as she pulled a story book out of her backpack, one that was identical to the one that Henry had.

Everyone froze, except for Henry. He bolted upstairs and returned moments later, holding his book. He ran up to Riley and shoved it in her face.

"I have one too!"

Riley set her book on the coffee table. She took Henry's out of his hands and flipped through. She muttered to herself as she skimmed the pages.

"Mine's different than yours," she stated, barely loud enough for everyone to hear. "Mine has Emma's story in it and a bunch of stuff about the curse, but most of the stories are different. I'm assuming that these ripped out pages were Emma's story?" she asked, earning a nod from Henry.

"We couldn't let the evil queen see them, so we burned them."

"How would she have gotten them?" Riley asked with her eyebrow raised, clearly not fully aware of their situation.

"She is my mom," Henry said in a hushed tone.

Riley stared at him for a moment, and then started laughing to herself. "Well that just makes everything so much more difficult, doesn't it?"

"You have no idea." Snow had risen from her seat and had her arms crossed in front of her chest. She spoke in a hushed tone and made it obvious that this was no joking matter. "So you know about the curse and about Emma, but do you really know what we are up against? You walk in here and act like you know exactly what you are talking about, but how can you? You weren't there. You didn't have to look her in the eyes as she mocked your pain. As she ripped your world away from you. You have no idea what she is capable of. And now she has a son that she cares for, and she will not stop until she has him back. So unless you are ready to go up against someone who will do anything to get what she wants, then walk out that door right now."

No one dared to speak. Riley's eyes narrowed as she glared at Snow. She shut her book with such force that it caused Henry, Emma, and James to jump, but not Snow. She refused to back down and continued to stare at Riley without blinking.

"You act like you are the only one who has been hurt because of this curse-"

"-I NEVER said that-"

"-but you have no idea what I have gone through because of it."

"This curse was designed to hurt me! She only cared that I wasn't happy! I'm not saying that no one else was hurt, because everyone was, but all she wanted to do was take away everything that I loved!" Snow screamed, pointing her finger towards herself. Her eyes glowed with rage.

"This isn't about you anymore! It's about all of us! Every single person that has not been happy for twenty eight years! All these people that just want to go home and get their happy endings back! This is so much bigger than you even know. You think that this is just about a fight between you and the Queen. That isn't important any longer. Emma is what's important. And when you can figure that out and are ready to accept it, then let me know and I'll be happy to help." Riley grabbed her things off the couch and stomped out the door, slamming it behind her. They all sat in silence, unsure of what to do. Snow had never been spoken to like that before, and James didn't know if he wanted to agree with the girl or not. Emma was more confused than ever and Henry just looked shocked.

A minute or so later they heard a soft knock at the door. Emma slowly pulled it open to reveal Riley standing there once more.

She thrust out a piece of paper. "I forgot to give you my number. Text me when you want my help." She turned and began heading down the stairs.

"Wait," James whispered. It was the first time he had spoken since Riley had arrived. "You never did help yourself to breakfast."

Snow was definitely annoyed that he would invite her back into their home after she was so obnoxious, but she couldn't help but feel a surge of love for her husband. He was such a generous man, no matter the circumstances. He truly cared about people, regardless of their actions or who they were.

Riley slowly entered back into the apartment. She placed her backpack and jacket on the couch, but awkwardly stood in the living room, unsure of what to do.

"Is there a bathroom where I can wash up?" she said. James gestured towards it and she smiled at him, grateful that she hadn't screwed things up with Prince Charming.

* * *

"I better get going. Thanks for the food, it was delicious," Riley said with a smile as she shrugged her jacket on. They had eaten in almost complete silence, as no one really wanted to make small talk.

"Are you going home already?" Snow asked. She couldn't help but sound a little eager, as she was not fond of this girl and wanted her to be on her way.

Riley snorted. "As much as you would love that, I'm going to have to disappoint you. While Emma is a very important person, and the first one I came to see once I got here by the way, I have other stuff to do." She grabbed her sunglasses and slipped them over her eyes. "Thanks again for the food." She made her way to the door and just as she was about to open it, she was stopped by James.

"There is going to be a meeting at Granny's this afternoon at one for everyone who is against Regina. If you really want to help, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop by," he said.

She nodded. "That's that diner, right?" she asked, earning a confirmation from him. She flashed a sparkling smile and headed out of the apartment. James shut the door behind her and made his way back into the kitchen.

As they were clearing their plates, Emma heard the roar of a motorcycle being started. She casually glanced out the window to see a black bike race off with a rider that looked suspiciously like Riley. Of course she would ride a motorcycle. It was completely fitting.

Emma carried plates into the kitchen and placed them by the sink. James was scrubbing dishes while Snow was wiping the counters down. Henry was drying the plates as James finished them.

"Henry, why don't you get all cleaned up," Emma suggested, earning a questioning look from him. He didn't fight her and retreated to the bathroom.

Snow turned to Emma the second the door was closed. "I don't like that Riley girl, and I don't trust her either."

James sighed and turned to join their conversation. "Honestly, I do trust her. She has a story book. For some reason that makes me trust her and I don't know why."

"What's killing me is that we don't know anything about her. And she mentioned her father a few times but failed to tell us who he is. The mysterious act is getting old really fast. It's one thing to be private, but how does she expect us to trust her without knowing really anything about her," Snow said as she ran her fingers through her short hair.

"You trusted me the second you met me and you didn't know anything about me," Emma said to her mother, causing the woman to narrow her eyes.

"That's different," Snow muttered.

"I do agree with you though. I don't know if I trust her. I think she genuinely wants to help us, but I still want to know who she is. We have too much to lose if we trust someone blindly," Emma stated as she climbed the stairs up to her room. "Send Henry up when he is done in the bathroom," she said over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her. She collapsed on her bed and sighed. She had liked the family time and she couldn't deny that, but it had been a little much for her. She was used to solitude so it was difficult for her to just slip into a life with a family.

Snow moved over to the sink and began helping James with the dishes.

"Closing us off again," Snow said under her breath to herself.

"What was that?" James asked as he set the last of the dishes on the counter.

"Nothing," she sighed as she dried the last few dishes. James reached out and ran his fingers along her jaw, resting his hand on her chin. He gently lifted it and gazed into her eyes. She could practically tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. She could see that he knew she was slightly upset, and that he wanted to discuss it.

Just as she started to say something, Henry strode out of the bathroom, his hair wet and a bit of toothpaste on his chin. He gave them a big goofy smile as he headed up the stairs.

"Why don't we continue this in private?" James whispered as he pulled her to their room. She slipped her hand into his and gladly followed. He quietly shut the door and moved to the bed, taking a seat. He gave her a big smile as he patted the space next to him, signaling for her to sit. She sat next to him and automatically put her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.

"So, you ready to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

"It's just that I feel like she doesn't want to open up to us," she confessed.

"I think she has been doing just fine. She was really open with me last night after you went to bed."

"She was open with me as well, but I feel like she has been shutting down again. It's not that she is incapable of emotion, it's just that she has been guarding herself against it for so long that she naturally is shutting us out. I mean, I thought we had a good heart to heart yesterday morning but then the rest of the day she barely looked at me. She seems like she doesn't even want to be around me anymore. It wasn't even like this when she first moved in," she said as she fiddled with her wedding ring.

Charming sighed. He fell back on the bed and lay there, thinking. He could see his wife's point, but he hadn't noticed Emma acting strangely again. Maybe it was the fact that he had never lived with her before so he wasn't aware of any strange behavior.

"She has been doing pretty well for the circumstances. I mean, we just can't expect her to be okay with all of this. It's a lot to ask. I don't think she is ready to accept the fact that we are her parents. She has told us that she loves us, and I don't doubt that one bit, but I think that was hard for her to do. To realize that she does love us even after everything she has gone through. I think that expressing those feelings was something she needed to do, but now that I think about it, I don't think she will be that open again for a while. I think that what she needs is time and space, and I intend to give her both."

Snow agreed with him completely. While she wanted to be there for her daughter, she didn't want to overwhelm her.

James pulled his wife down beside him. She nestled close to him and he kissed her forehead.

"I need to pick up a copy of 'Parenting for Dummies'," James joked.

Snow chuckled. "I doubt they have a copy of 'How to Parent Your Daughter that is the Same Age as You and has Been Separated from You for Twenty-Eight Years'."

James laughed. He ran his finger down Snow's arm. "We will figure out this all out. It will just take some time." He planted a kiss in her hair. They laid in silence, just happy to be will each other but still engrossed in their own thoughts.

* * *

James pushed the front door of Granny's Diner open with one hand while Snow was clasping the other. Emma followed close behind, keeping a tight grip on Henry. While he could tell that she was eager to leave the apartment after being stuck there for days, he knew she was worried about being out. And he didn't blame her. He felt the same way.

The diner was surprisingly crowded. Snow had not expected so many people to show up. As soon as she walked through the door she was surrounded by familiar faces. She greeted her old friends and allies with a smile on her face as she was genuinely happy to see them. It took quite a while for them to work their way through the crowd, but eventually Snow broke free and headed to the counter where Red was speaking in hushed tones to her Grandmother.

"Snow!" she exclaimed when she saw her old friend. In a very unladylike, but characteristic, way Red hopped over the counter. She threw her arms around her friend, who gladly returned the affection.

After chatting a few moments with some of their closer friends, James and Snow took seats at the stools by the counter, facing the crowd. Snow immediately held her husband's hand. She needed his support more than ever and knew that he would need hers. Many people began to hush down and look towards their King and Queen.

Emma had never felt more out of place. So many people had come up to her and thanked her for breaking the curse, and Emma wasn't sure how to respond. People were taking this whole Savior thing really seriously and Emma was just starting to get used to it herself. She felt really overwhelmed, so she slid into a booth, pulling Henry in next to her. She was content with just listening. She hadn't been too keen on attending this meeting, as she still didn't have a clue what was really going on. But it was an opportunity to get out of that apartment, so she had caved and followed Snow and James here, making sure to keep her space. She didn't know what had come over her, but today she didn't even want to be around them for long periods of time. She had tried to open up, but realized now that she hadn't been ready and that it was too soon for her to try to be a daughter. She wasn't ready for that kind of bond with them.

It was strange seeing Snow and James being called 'King' and 'Queen'. She had not thought about it before, but it finally hit her that she was a Princess. This whole thing was too crazy for her liking.

While James was deep in conversation with Thomas, Snow kept glancing around the diner. People were starting to settle down into their seats and were prepared for the meeting to begin. She couldn't keep her eyes off the booth in the very back with the ten-year-old boy and the very uncomfortable looking Emma.

Snow could not believe how many people had decided to come today. Ella was standing in the corner balancing her baby girl on her hip while she spoke with Red. Abigail and Fredrick were sitting in a booth along with some of his fellow knights. Snow wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Nova the fairy staring at Grumpy from across the restaurant. The Blue Fairy stood in the corner with many other fairies, all chatting with one another. Snow saw Jiminy slip in, and she felt a pang of remorse when she saw that the left side of his face had a sickening purple bruise across it. He made his way over to Red and she greeted him with a hug. Snow even saw Gepetto sitting in the back, obviously trying to hide. She did not want the old man here as she still was incredibly angry with him, but she did feel bad about the way she had acted the other night.

Looking across the crowd, there were a few faces that were missing. While she had never actually spoken to him, she did notice that August was nowhere to be seen. Dr. Whale, she had no idea what his true identity was, was not present either, and honestly she was not too sad about that.

"Alright everyone," James said loudly. Snow was always amazed at how easily he could silence a room. He smiled at all their friends and allies and cleared his throat. "We asked you to gather here today to discuss recent events and plans of action."

Emma zoned out as James described how she had broken the curse, and how magic had returned. This was all too surreal for her. She was at a meeting with Fairytale characters. She still wasn't used to the fact that this was all true. Plus it made her uncomfortable how everyone kept looking at her and thanking and praising her. She got that she was the Savior, but these people needed to give her some personal space.

She made eye contact with Snow as James continued to speak. She saw the woman's hand slip into her pocket, and a few moments later Emma felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

'**ARE YOU DOING OK?**'

'**I'M FINE, JUST OVERWHELMED.**' Emma typed under the table.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," Riley whispered as she slid into the booth next to Henry. Emma nodded to her once, but kept her attention on Snow and James.

They were discussing how the kingdoms should be divided. James was suggesting that they all unite as one against Regina, and instead have a council of all the monarchs. Most everyone agreed with this idea except for one man that Emma didn't recognize.

"What did I miss?" Riley asked, and Henry quickly filled her in. Emma was amazed at how much information he had collected, and how much he had actually understood. He was definitely a smart kid.

Emma felt her phone vibrate once more.

'**IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE. NO ONE WILL JUDGE YOU IF YOU DO. NO ONE EXPECTS YOU TO ADJUST TO OUR WORLD SO QUICKLY.**'

'**HOW DID YOU KNOW?**'

'**YOU AREN'T EXACTLY TRYING TO HIDE IT. GO ON BACK TO THE APARTMENT IF YOU WANT TO.**'

Emma was about to respond when she got another message.

'**YOU CAN LEAVE HENRY IF YOU WANT. HE SEEMS PRETTY INTERESTED, AND WE CAN TAKE HIM HOME AS SOON AS WE ARE DONE.**'

Emma quickly typed her response.

'**K. MEET YOU GUYS THERE AS SOON AS YOU'RE DONE. IF YOU COULD WATCH HENRY THAT WOULD BE GREAT.**'

Emma watched Snow read the new message. They made eye contact and Snow nodded, smiling.

* * *

Jefferson sat on a bench across the street from the diner, hiding his face behind a newspaper. He watched as people filed into Granny's one by one. He kept glancing up and down the street. Finally he saw the four people he had been waiting for.

As soon as the Charming family had entered into the diner, he stood. He folded his paper and set it on the bench and began to walk down the road. He kept a brisk pace as he made his way to the building Regina had described. He had not been to this part of town before, and had to pay close attention to the architecture. He arrived at his destination and slipped inside the building.

He slowly walked up the stairs, slipping his hands into his pockets. His left hand clasped around the cool metal barrel of his gun while his right clasped the rather large key Regina had given him.

He came upon a door that matched the number in the address. He pressed his palm against the smooth wood of the door. He pulled the skeleton key out of his pocket and guided it into the lock. It turned with ease, as Regina had said it would. He pushed on the door, and it opened just a crack. He entered, making sure to lock the door behind him.

He strolled over to the kitchen. Everything was so neat and orderly. He leaned against the counter and pulled his gun out. He opened it and pulled out a brand new box of bullets from his coat pocket. He loaded the weapon, closing it once he was done. He placed it back in his pocket, but kept his hand in there with it in case he needed to draw it out quickly.

While Regina had given him many instructions, this part of the plan was completely of his own design.

Jefferson yawned. Now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

Emma strolled down the sidewalk. After quickly explaining to Henry and Riley where she was going, they had just shrugged and continued to listen. Luckily Emma had been sitting in the back, so she had been able to easily slip out undetected.

The town was still a mess that much was certain. It did appear that someone had been attempting to clean up, and it did make a little bit of a difference.

Emma reached her apartment and entered. She was looking forward to sitting down with a drink, and thinking about anything other than Fairytales.

She unlocked her door and pushed it open. She slipped her jacket off and tossed it on the couch. She ran her fingers through her hair.

"Hello Emma," an all too familiar voice purred. Emma froze and turned, facing the intruder. She hadn't even noticed him.

He strode towards her and smiled.

"You know, if I were you, I would cooperate." He pulled a chair out from under the table and placed it in the middle of the room and gestured for her to sit.

"And why would I do that?"

He laughed. "Because if you don't, I'll have to shoot you," he whispered, pulling his gun out from his pocket and pointing it at her. She sank down in the chair. He pulled a roll of duct tape out and ripped a piece off, sticking it over her mouth. He greedily smiled while he used the tape to secure her arms and legs to the chair. Once the job was complete, he stood back, taking in his handiwork.

"And now we wait," Jefferson said.

**Why do you guys think Jefferson took Emma hostage? What do you think his plans are? Who do you think Riley is (I feel like I gave a ton of clues, even though they might not be very obvious)? Let me know your theories and thoughts! Please review I love to hear feedback! **

**And don't worry, Riley's big reveal is coming! I have the scene written already, I just feel like making you guys wait ;) Plus I can guarantee there will be love interestS for Emma (yes there will be multiple) but I am not about to spill the beans! **

**Hope you liked this chapter and I promise that the next one will come faster than this one did! Sorry again for the wait!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for all of the reviews and favorites! I'm glad that you guys like the story so far!**

**This chapter is very different from anything I've written, so it wasn't exactly easy. After a lot of editing and rewriting I'm finally happy with the result. Just a heads up, it's a lot darker than the other chapters.**

**Here's a shutout to Gruffen...thanks for all of your help!**

**Enjoy!**

"Let's just go after her ourselves and get this over with!" someone in the back yelled.

"We cannot just attack Regina! We have no idea how powerful she is. What if we are no where near matched to her strength? Then what will happen?" James said, trying to calm the crowd down.

They all wanted vengeance. They wanted to make Regina pay. Snow felt the same way as they all did, but she was not about to act on her rage. Snow had gone up Regina before and it definitely was something that needed to be carefully planned.

Snow checked the time. They had been here for over two hours, and she was starting to get tired. Besides, there was no way that they could plan everything in one sitting. Snow leaned to James.

"Just conclude the meeting. We aren't going to get anything more done today," she whispered. He nodded, agreeing with her completely. He attempted to quiet everyone down, which proved to be very difficult. Once a hushed silence had spread, he cleared his voice.

"Everyone, listen up! We are going to meet back here same time tomorrow. Everyone get your bearings and sort through the information shared today. Tomorrow we will start planning what we will do in regards to Regina."

They all seemed accepting of his decision. People began to shuffle out of the diner. Snow stood and stretched. She wove her way through the crowd towards Henry, and her eyes narrowed when she saw who accompanied him.

"Henry, it's time to go," Snow said as she glared at Riley.

The boy groaned. "But she was going to show me her book!" he whined as he looked up at her with puppy dog eyes. She didn't know why, but it's didn't take long for her to cave.

"Fine. But I'm going to pick you up in one hour okay?" she told him. He beamed and pulled his book out of his backpack and set it on the table. As he flipped through it, Snow leaned to Riley. "I hope you know that I don't trust you. There are only two reason why he gets to stay here. First off, it makes him happy. And second, I have eyes and ears here so I know he will be safe."

Snow backed away, raising her eyebrow as if to challenge the girl. Riley flashed her a big smile and returned her attention to Henry. Snow turned and walked towards Red, who was deep in conversation with Ella.

"Hello Snow," Ella said with a soft smile.

"Ella, dear, it's been too long," Snow said as she pulled her friend into a close hug. "I've missed you"

"I've missed you as well. Who knew twenty-eight years was so long?" she joked, earning a laugh from the other women. Ella shifted her daughter to her other hip and continued to speak with her friends. She kissed her baby's soft curls and rocked her back and forth.

Snow couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when she saw Ella interact with Alexandra. Snow had wanted to be a mother since she was a little girl, and yet her one chance had been taken from her.

When there was a break in the conversation, Snow pulled Red aside. "Henry is going to stay here for a while with a...friend. Can you keep an eye on him until I come back to get him?" she asked. Red nodded, eager to help out. Snow pulled out a few dollars bills out of her pocket and handed them to her friend. "Go ahead and get him a hot chocolate with cinnamon, please. They are his favorite." Red tried to refuse the money, but Snow grabbed her hand, placed the bills on her palm, and closed her fingers around the cash.

"You are so stubborn," Red sighed, shaking her head. "I'll see you in an hour," she confirmed as she pulled Snow into another hug. After they broke apart she headed into the kitchen to get Henry his drink.

James was speaking to several of the dwarves. Snow took her place at his side, and he subconsciously draped his arm over her shoulder. They talked for a few more minutes, then the dwarves bid them farewell and left the diner.

"Shall we go?" James asked her, earning a nod. They said goodbye to Henry, who was happily slurping a hot chocolate. They walked out the door hand in hand and headed back to the apartment. Snow had missed the simplicity of taking a walk with her husband. Back home they had enjoyed walking through their gardens and discussing the events of the day. It was nice to stroll down the street holding James's hand. It felt right.

They climbed the stairs to the apartment, and Snow realized how eerily quiet it was. She dismissed the thought, assuming that many people had been at the meeting. She slipped her key into the lock and pushed the door open.

"Snow White and Prince Charming. So nice of you to join us."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin held a leather ball in his hand. He had seen it everyday in his shop, but only recently had he remembered its significance. Thoughts of his son rushed through his head. He set the ball down. It was all to painful.

"What's that?" Belle asked. She stood in the doorway of his office, looking beautiful as ever. She looked so much different from the woman who had been imprisoned by Regina for so many years. Her long bronze hair was loosely pulled back. Her cheeks had regained their rosy color, and her eyes sparkled. She had opted to wear basic blue jeans and a sweater, options that greatly complimented her, unlike that dreadful hospital gown.

He stood and walked towards her with ease, as his limp had disappeared the second magic had touched him. He brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"It belonged to my son."

"The one that you never really told me about," she said, a small smile on her face. He loved the way she teased him.

"His name was Baelfire."

"Was? Or is?"

He hung his head. "I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out."

She placed her hand on his cheek. She could tell that he wasn't quite ready to talk about his son just yet. She knew that it would take time for him to open up more to her. He had always been rather closed off when it came to his emotions. She decided not to push him any farther. Belle knew that he would talk about his boy when he was ready. She decided not to push him any farther. She felt him rest his hand over hers. He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Why do we have to hide from everyone?" she inquired.

"We aren't hiding from anyone."

"In the past three days I have only been to your home and this shop. You are the only person I have spoken to. What are you hiding me from? Or rather, who?" she said. Rumplestiltskin sighed, choosing not to answer.

Everything about this world and the curse was so complicated. He was just trying to protect Belle from it all. He knew that his power was a threat to Regina, and that she would to anything to bring to pass his downfall. He couldn't risk losing Belle again. He had lost her once and it was almost as painful as losing Bae. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He truly loved her, and being together with her once more brought him so much joy. Yet there was still a hole in his heart. A whole that could only be filled by one person. He had created the curse for a reason. He had brought magic to this little town for one purpose alone.

He moved back behind his desk and picked up the ball. He ran his finger along the seams and thought of the boy he had once lost. The boy he was determined to find.

Rumplestiltskin decided that nothing was going to keep him from his son. A plan began forming in his head. He suddenly realized that there was one person who could help him. And it just so happened that she owed him a favor.

* * *

James and Snow froze. Their mouths dropped as they took in the scene around them. Emma sat in one of the kitchen chairs, her arms and legs secured to it and a piece of duct tape stuck over her mouth. Jefferson stood next to her, a wicked smile plastered across his face. When Emma saw them her eyes bulged and attempted to say something, but her words were muffled by the tape.

Snow couldn't explain the feeling that had come over her. She felt the sudden need to protect Emma. She felt incredible fear for her. Right now, nothing mattered except Emma's safety, and Snow was willing to do anything to keep her little girl out of harm's way. She couldn't help but think of the last time she had seen this man. Except the roles were reversed and Snow was the one tied, up not Emma. And Emma had risked everything to save Snow, and now Snow was going to save her, no matter what.

She made eye contact with her daughter and could see the fear in her eyes. It was a look that Snow had never seen before.

She could feel James's grip on her hand tighten. His eyes narrowed and his cheeks were flushed. Snow could tell he was angry.

"How dare you!" James suddenly bellowed as he threw himself across the room towards their daughter's captor. Before James could reach him, Jefferson pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at Emma's temple. James stopped dead in his tracks. Snow could tell that he just now realized how truly dangerous this man was.

Jefferson grinned. "I would be careful. We wouldn't want Emma to get hurt."

James clenched his fists. He was fuming. He had never been this angry before. The only thing stopping him from ripping this man to shreds was the fact that he had a gun pointed at Emma. And there was no way that James was going to let him hurt her.

"What is the meaning of this?" James asked, finding it very difficult to refrain from screaming.

Jefferson chuckled. "There are some rules Charming. First off, I ask the questions around here. And you give the answers. Now that that's clear, there is something we need to discuss." He walked towards James, twirling the silver weapon in his hands. He raised the gun and pointed it back at Emma. "What does the Queen want with you, Charming?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Jefferson's face contorted into a scowl. He turned on his heel, pulling a knife out of his pocket. He walked to Emma, her eyes growing wide as he held the weapon above the skin on her arm.

"That's not a very good answer, Charming." In one swift moment he brought the point of the knife down to Emma's skin. He punctured her flesh and sliced a crimson line across her arm. He pulled the blade away as blood began to run out of the open cut. The silver tape across Emma's mouth blocked her scream, but nothing stopped the pained sound that escaped Snow's lips. Tears pooled in Emma's eyes and one trickled down her cheek.

"Now, I'm going to ask you one more time. What does the Queen want with you?"

A tear streamed down James's face. How was he supposed to respond? He truly had no idea what was going on. He couldn't answer the man, because it was too risky. He couldn't let Emma get hurt like that again.

James looked straight into the eyes of Emma's captor. "Please," he begged, "I wasn't even aware that she had any business with me. I don't know anything. I'm sorry. Just don't hurt her."

Jefferson scowled. He pressed the tip of the knife against Emma's skin, threatening to cut her again. As he pressed harder, drops of blood dripped from the small opening. Emma tensed up and tried to prepare for the pain that was sure to come.

"I believe you Charming. But that doesn't mean that I'm not displeased." Jefferson made a move to slice Emma's arm.

"STOP!" Snow shrieked. She whipped her coat off and then shoved the sleeve of her sweater up. She held her arm out to him. "Let me take her place. Please, don't hurt her anymore." Tears trickled down her face, and she was consumed with the need to protect Emma. She had not been there for her daughter for years, but she was not going to let anyone hurt her ever again.

Jefferson laughed. "So willing to save her from pain. I'm truly touched," he mocked. With one fluid motion he lifted his foot and kicked Snow to the ground. "However, you aren't playing by the rules." He returned to Emma's side and sliced her arm again. Her muffled scream filled the silence.

Emma stared Snow. She had been willing to take Emma's place. No one had ever done that before. Tears streamed down her face. Her arm was throbbing and she was truly afraid, but she knew that her feelings couldn't possibly compare to Snow's. She could read the emotion on the woman's face. Pain was etched across her face. It was a look that Emma recognized. It was the look of a mother fearing for her child.

Jefferson twirled one of Emma's curls in between his fingers. "Now that I've made the rules clear multiple times, I think it's time for you two to follow them. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to our precious Savior, now would we?" He dropped the curl and ran his finger along Emma's jaw, his touch making her wince. "I'm a man that is willing to do anything to get what he wants, I'm sure you remember, Snow White."

James saw Emma's eyes widen and Snow's mouth drop slightly. Obviously something had happened between the three of them, but he didn't think now was the best time to find out.

"Now, back to business. Since you don't know what I'm talking about, Charming, I guess that I will have to fill you in. The Queen personally requested that I bring you to her."

"You are working for Regina?" Snow gasped.

"Oh, I never said that."

"Then why are you doing this? What possibly do you have to gain from this?" James hollered, unable to contain himself.

"I ASK THE QUESTIONS HERE!" Jefferson screamed. His eyes had grown dark, and something had snapped inside of him. He pulled a brown bottle out of his coat. Snow couldn't read the label, but she had an idea what it was. She violently shook her head, not wanting to speak, but trying to stop the mad man.

He unscrewed the lid and held it over Emma's cuts. "You really should think about playing by the rules," he spat as he poured the clear liquid over Emma's arm.

The shriek that erupted from Emma's mouth rang through the apartment even though it was blocked by the silver gag. Tears ran freely down her cheek as she stiffened her arms. The burning sensation that had hit as soon as the liquid had touched her was unlike any pain she had ever felt before. She was aware that she was still screaming, but her thoughts were focused only on the intense pain.

Snow's screams mixed with sobs as she watched her daughter go through such agony. Her heart was ripped apart at the sight of her baby girl being tortured like this. James held her tightly, and she could feel him shaking. She knew that he was trying with all his might not to murder Jefferson at this very moment. His fingernails dug into her skin as he attempted to control his rage. She could feel it coursing through his veins. Snow knew how protective James was, and she knew that seeing Emma being hurt like this was killing him, as she felt the same way.

Jefferson's eyes were black, but he had a twisted smile across his face. Emma's face was wet with tears, and she was shaking. Barely audible whimpers escaped her lips. Jefferson walked towards James, still pointing the gun at Emma.

"Now, we are going to play by MY rules, not yours. Understood?" James nodded. "Good," he said. He gestured towards Snow. "Tie her up."

"What?" James asked.

Jefferson violently pulled a chair out from under the table. He placed it a few feet away from Emma. He pulled a large roll of duct tape from his coat and threw it at James. He took his place behind Emma and grabbed a fistful of her hair. He yanked her head back, exposing her throat. He shoved his gun into his pocket and drew out the blood-coated knife. He held it against the soft skin of her neck, his eyes challenging James.

"Tie her to the chair. Now. Or Emma dies." To emphasize his point, he lightly pressed the knife against her neck. No cut was made, but a sharp breath was drawn from Emma.

Snow stood and quickly walked across the room to the chair and sank into it. "James," she whispered.

James followed her, unable to believe what was happening. As he secured her arm to the chair he lost it. He shook with silent sobs as tears streamed down his face. He couldn't believe what he was doing. He felt Snow's fingers graze against his chin in a small attempt to comfort him. He shook her hand away. He couldn't focus on her right now. He could not believe that the woman he was tying up was his wife. This man was sick and twisted to force James to do such a thing. James tore a piece of tape and placed it over Snow's mouth. He gently smoothed it over her lips. Her face was lined with tears and he lightly brushed one away. He gazed into her eyes and saw nothing but hurt. He had promised to always protect her and now he had just tied her to a chair. He marveled at her strength and will to comply to the mad man's orders. Slowly he stood and took a step backwards, facing his wife and his daughter's captor.

Jefferson leaned down by Snow's ear. "I don't know about you, but I'm having a lot of deja vu." Snow's eyes grew wide once more and James felt a surge of anger. He had a strong feeling that this man had held his wife captive before. The only thing keeping James from ripping him to shreds was the fact that he was standing between the two people James loved more than anything in the world, now holding a gun in each hand, and pointing them at the head of each woman.

"How does it feel Charming?" Jefferson sneered. Emma and Snow flinched as he pressed the cold barrels of the guns to each of their heads.

"I don't understand," James whispered.

"How does it feel to have everything you love ripped from you? How does it feel to have them dangled in front of you, out of your reach? How does it feel to have their lives in someone else's hands, and there is nothing you can do about it? How does it feel to know that whether they live or die depends on your actions? How does it feel Charming? HOW DOES IT FEEL?"

James looked at Jefferson with absolute horror. The man had obviously snapped. There was some internal struggle going on, James could tell, but now was certainly not the time to address it. Emma and Snow's lives were at stake, and James wouldn't dare put them at risk.

Jefferson was panting. He took a deep breath. "You, Prince Charming, are going to walk out that door and go to the Queen's office. You aren't going to question anything, because if you do, I'm going to put a bullet through one of their skulls. You are going to go and take care of your business with Regina. Only then will they be freed."

James rose and looked Jefferson straight in the eyes. He saw a broken man. A man who was driven mad. A man who had lost the thing he loved most.

"Why are you doing this? What possibly do you have to gain? What does the Queen have against you that would cause you to take two women hostage? You don't have to do this. She can't make you do anything." James knew it was risky, but he felt the need to get through to the other man.

Jefferson's face fell for a moment as he thought of his Grace. His baby. The girl Regina had taken away from him. He was willing to do anything to get her back, and he was not going to let Charming get in the way of that.

"If I remember correctly, I wasn't working for the Queen the last time I took them hostage," he said as he gestured toward each woman. He say James's face fall as he tried to make sense of this information. His wife and daughter had obviously not filled him in. "You know," Jefferson said, eager to rub salt in the Prince's open wound, "last time wasn't nearly as fun. There was so much I wished I could do, but I didn't have the chance. Unfortunately, time was not on my side."

He grinned and walked behind the chairs. He slipped one of the guns back into his coat pocket. He wanted to make Prince Charming hurt. He had no idea why, but he felt the need for the man to feel the pain of having the thing, or things in the Prince's case, that he loved most be toyed with. He wanted to show Charming that their lives were truly in Jefferson's hands. He needed him to understand the pain that Regina was putting him through.

Jefferson ran his fingers along Snow's cheek. He could feel her shudder against his touch. He saw James tense up. Jefferson smirked as the tips of his fingers glided down her neck. Yet he wasn't interested in Snow White whatsoever.

However, he found Emma extremely attractive.

He slowly took a step towards Emma. He stood behind her and chuckled. He stroked her neck and slid his hand up to cup her cheek. He could see rage building up inside the Prince. He couldn't help but enjoy it. Now the Prince would understand true pain. True pain was knowing that your little girl was in the hands of another, and their was nothing you could do to stop it. Jefferson bent down next to Emma's ear. He nibbled her cheek, hoping to make her squirm. She didn't. He noticed that Charming's eyes were narrowed in a look of hate. Jefferson bent his head down lower and slowly ran his tongue down Emma's jaw, ending up at her neck. He began to forcefully kiss the tender skin near her throat.

James snapped. "GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU SON OF A-"

Jefferson reacted immediately, jumping away from Emma. James's outburst didn't faze him in the least. As James lunged across the room, Jefferson raised the gun in the air and swung it with all the force he could muster towards Emma's head.

James froze and Snow shrieked as the gun came in contact with Emma's temple. There was a loud thud, and her head was violently thrown to the side. Blood ran down her face from the split skin on her forehead. Emma's body tensed up momentarily, and then slumped to the side as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Hey kid, would you mind if I took you home early?" Riley asked.

Henry shrugged. "I guess, but I thought we were having a pretty good time here."

"I never said we weren't having fun. It's just that I need to talk to your mom about something and you have to leave in a few minutes anyway. We might as well head out."

Henry sighed. "Okay. But I was wondering, can I borrow your book for the night? Just to read it."

Riley smiled. "Of course you can. I hope you know that I wouldn't trust it with anyone else." She truly meant it too. For some reason she had instantly trusted the boy the second she had met him. There was just something about him that caused her to open up to him. Already he seemed like a little brother to her. And it helped that he reminded her of him...

She shoved the thought out of her head. It was too painful. And she needed to be focused. Dwelling on things of the past wasn't going to break this curse.

Henry placed the book in his backpack and zipped it up. He pulled his jacket on and stood. Riley placed a few bills on the table for the hot chocolate she had ordered and stood, zipping her leather jacket up. She led the way as they exited the diner and began to walk towards the apartment.

The sun was shining and it was actually a little warm, despite the chilly breeze. Riley decided to take off her jacket and hold it on her arm. The weather was delightful for Maine, but no where near as beautiful as it was in California. No, nothing compared to the weather there. But that was the only thing she missed about that state.

They chatted lightly as they walked. Henry was very interested in her past, but Riley wasn't ready to give out that information yet. He wasn't ready. And neither was she. Besides, she liked knowing that she was mysterious. It gave her an edge. Plus she could do whatever she wanted and no one would question it.

They stopped by her bike and Riley pulled out her backpack, stuffing her jacket inside. She shut her storage compartment and locked it.

"Where did you get the cool motorcycle?"

Riley grinned. "I built it myself," she said, full of pride. Henry's eyes grew wide. She wasn't surprised. Most people couldn't believe that she could build, well, anything, let alone a top notch motorcycle.

"Come on, let's get going," she said, heading down the street. She let Henry lead for the rest of the way, as he knew the town far better than she did. They eventually reached the apartment and began to climb the stairs.

Riley's stomach suddenly twisted in a knot. Something was wrong. She grabbed Henry's arm and pulled him back.

"What-" he started but Riley shushed him.

She couldn't explain it, but she knew right then and there that something was terribly wrong. She silently climbed the stairs, ready to face whatever was waiting at the top.

**__Hope you guys like the direction I went with this chapter. *crosses fingers***

**Who was excited to see Rumplestiltskin and Belle? Honestly I wasn't planning on introducing them in this chapter but their characters took over. **

**A lot of Jefferson's behavior in inexplicable because he has truly been driven mad. I known a lot of his actions seem random, but I did the best I could as he was a very difficult character to write.**

**I am going toapologize for the cliffhanger...please don't be mad!**

**What do you guys think will happen next?**

**Please review I love to hear from ally of you!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Thanks for all of the reviews, I love hearing from you! Hope you enjoy this chapter! **

James wanted to rip that man to shreds. He wanted to beat him to a pulp. He wanted to cause him pain unlike anything he had ever felt before. He wanted him to suffer.

But James wasn't about to do anything. This man had proven that he currently had the upper hand. That he was willing to do anything to get what he wanted. That he had no problem holding two women hostage. That he was capable of torturing an innocent person in front of her parent's eyes.

Emma's screams seemed to echo in his mind. The thought that there was no way for him to take away her pain killed him. He just wanted to protect her.

James couldn't tear his eyes away from Emma's limp form. A trickle of blood ran down the side of her face, and a bruise had started to form around her temple. Her left arm was covered in blood, and two ghastly cuts stood out against her crimson-stained skin. Her wrists were rubbed raw from her pulling against the duct tape bonds.

James turned towards the captor. The man had a smirk on his face as if he thought it was funny that he had just hit a woman so hard that she blacked out. James hated him. And he didn't even know who he was.

"You know, Charming, you are making this more difficult than it needs to be," the man mocked. James hated him even more, if that was even possible. "All you have to do is turn yourself in, and they will go free." He waved his gun at Emma, and then at Snow. "The choice is yours."

James looked at his wife. Her face was lined with tears, and fear was present in her eyes. He had promised her that he would always protect her, and now she was being held hostage by a lunatic. It broke James's heart.

"If...I go...they will be safe?"

"You have my word," the man said as he jokingly bowed.

* * *

Riley passed her backpack to Henry. She slowly tiptoed up the stairs, not daring to make a sound.

"Riley..."

"Shh!" Henry began to follow her, but she pushed him back.

"Riley what is going on?"

"Henry, you have to trust me. Please be quiet and stay down here. I'm going to go see what's up." Riley once more headed up the stairs. At the top she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. She could hear voices coming from inside the apartment. She recognized Prince Charming's at once. She heard another male voice, but she didn't know who it belonged to. She had a bad feeling that this stranger was the one causing problems.

She looked through the gap in the doorframe. She couldn't see everything, but she did see a sliver of someone slumped in a chair. Someone who looked a lot like Emma.

"If...I go...they will be safe?" James said. She couldn't see him but she could hear the fear and concern in his voice.

"You have my word," the other man said. He bowed, and she saw a gun in his hand.

Riley curled her fingers into a fist. She barely knew these people, but she felt the need to protect them. This man had messed with the wrong family. Because, whether they liked it or not, they had an ally.

* * *

"Then I will go," James whispered. He would do anything to protect his family.

He could hear Snow attempting to say something through her gag. She fought against her restraints. James walked towards her, holding up his hands.

"What do you think you are doing?" Jefferson screamed, pointing the gun at James.

"Saying goodbye to my wife!" James yelled. He paused, unsure of how the mad man would respond. Jefferson glared at him. He walked around, turning his back towards the door. He raised the gun, pointing it at Emma.

"Any funny business, and she dies," he whispered. James nodded.

He knelt in front of Snow, placing his hand on her cheek. A tear rolled down his face and he quickly wiped it away. Snow shook her head.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered. She began to shake as she started to sob. She couldn't lose him again. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Snow White."

James stood, not wanting to let go. He was trying with all his might not to break apart. He had to be strong for Snow.

"Ready to go, Prince Charming?" Jefferson asked, still pointing the gun at Emma.

"HEY!" a familiar voice yelled. Jefferson whipped around, facing the doorway. Before he could react, Riley punched him as hard as she could right in the center of his face.

* * *

Emma awoke to the sound of a very long, and VERY loud string of profanity.

"LANGUAGE Riley!" she heard Snow snap.

"Why don't I dislocate your arm and see how you like it!" Riley spat.

"Enough you two! Riley, you need to stop struggling or I won't be able to fix your arm. And Henry is in the other room, can you not talk like that?" James said. "Now, I'm going to count to three, and then I'm going to pop it back in okay? One, two, THREE!"

There was a loud popping sound, and Emma heard Riley groan and curse under her breath.

"You guys have no idea how much that hurt."

"Let me get a sheet and James can make you a sling. You don't want to stress your shoulder out," Snow said.

Emma's head was pounding. She reached up and touched her head, feeling the sticky texture of semi-dried blood. Just then she realized that her arms and legs were not tied up anymore. Her left arm was wrapped in a towel and was throbbing. She looked around the apartment, still not sure what was going on. That's when she saw him.

Jefferson was slumped in a chair, his arms and legs tied to it and a strip of duct tape covered his mouth. His nose was crooked and appeared to be broken, and a long stream of blood flowed from his nostrils. He had bruises covering his face, especially around his eyes. There were bruises in the shape of fingerprints surrounding his neck. His shirt was ripped and there was a long gash across his chest. His knuckles were swollen and bloodied, and his hands and forearms were covered in bruises. She could tell by the way he held his knees together, even while he was unconscious, that he had been kicked in the crotch. His hair was matted and a large chunk appeared to have been ripped out. He was covered in sweat. His breathing was shallow, as if he had been hit in the chest. She had been surrounded by violence her whole life, and she hardly ever saw someone who had been beaten this brutally.

"MOTHER-"

"Riley! Watch your mouth!"

"Then don't touch my effing shoulder!"

Emma turned towards the sound of the voices. Riley, Snow, and James were all in the kitchen. James was attempting to put a sling around Riley's left arm and Snow was holding the girl's shoulder in place. Snow and Riley were both scowling.

Emma attempted to stand, causing the chair to creak. Everyone's head snapped to face her.

"Emma," Snow said, walking away from Riley. She stopped just before she reached Emma, not wanting to push her boundaries. "How do you feel?"

"My head is pounding and my arm hurts like crazy. How long have I been out?"

"Roughly thirty minutes," Snow said, folding her arms.

"What happened?" Emma asked, gesturing towards Jefferson.

"She happened," James inserted pointing towards Riley.

Emma got her first good look at the girl. She looked terrible. She had some pretty big shiners around her eyes, and her face was stained red from a pretty nasty nosebleed. Her bottom lip was split open, and she had a long cut across her jaw. Her neck and jaw were covered in bruises, although not as numbered as Jefferson's. Her left arm hung in a home-made sling, and her right had a long gash across it. Her knuckles were all split open and swollen. Her jeans were ripped and stained red in three places where she obviously had been cut. She looked tired and worn out, and was breathing very deeply.

"You beat HIM up?" Emma inquired, her eyes wide.

Riley shrugged, wincing as she moved her shoulder. "I grew up in L.A. And not the good part. If you didn't know how to fight, you were a goner."

Emma nodded. "Trust me, I get it. But that doesn't explain the fact that you totally kicked his butt. I gotta say, I'm impressed."

Riley laughed. "As you should be. I didn't get this good overnight."

They fell into an awkward silence. No one was sure of what to say next.

"I'm going to go check on Henry," James finally said, heading towards the stairs.

"Henry!" Emma said, not being able to believe that she had almost forgotten about her son. "How much did he see? Is he okay?" Emma asked, her voice full of panic.

James and Snow shared a knowing look. Snow nodded, and James climbed the stairs and entered Emma's room, closing the door behind him.

"Not that this isn't fun, but I'm going to go clean myself up. I probably look awful." Riley retreated into the bathroom, leaving Emma and Snow alone in the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Emma whispered.

"I should probably get a better look at that arm," Snow said, trying to distract Emma. "I was going to clean it before you woke up, but James needed help relocating Riley's arm." Snow motioned for her to sit down, which Emma was grateful for as her head was killing her.

Snow pulled a chair close to her. Emma placed her arm on the armrest, wincing as she put pressure on her wounds. Her mother slowly and gently unwrapped the towel, exposing Emma's cuts to open air. She sucked in her breath as Snow lightly touched her skin. Snow jerked her hand back, not wanting to hurt her daughter. Instead she just leaned closer and examined it. The cuts were deeper than she had originally thought, but luckily none of her muscles had been injured.

Snow looked up at her daughter. "I'm sorry but you need stitches. They are too deep to just heal on their own. Plus they need to be cleaned to avoid infection, and that is going to hurt." Snow's voice was full of sympathy, and she tried not to think of the pain that was going to be inflicted on her daughter.

Emma sighed. "I hate hospitals."

"You know, I can stitch them up here, if you want."

"Really? You know how to do that?" Emma asked.

Snow's lips curled into a small smile. "It's not as hard as you would think. You sure that you are okay with that?"

Emma nodded. Snow rose and went to the kitchen. She pulled some hydrogen-peroxide from the cupboard and grabbed a small mug. She filled the mug half-way, then walked across the room to her sewing kit. She pulled out a few needles, and went and dropped them in the peroxide.

"Put pressure on those cuts, Emma," she said over her shoulder as she made a quick trip into the bathroom. She returned with cotton balls and a first aid kit. She pulled a cutting board out of a cabinet and brought it over to Emma. "Hold this on your lap and place your arm on it," she instructed. She brought the mug of needles and the bottle of peroxide over to the table, setting them down next to the other supplies. She headed back into the kitchen and returned a minute later with a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers. "Here, take these. They will help with the pain, plus keep any swelling down," she said, pouring two pills into her palm. She handed them to Emma, along with the water, who gladly took them. Snow pulled her chair even closer to Emma, moving the cutting board, now wrapped in a towel, and Emma's arm to rest on her knees.

Emma watched as her mother wet a cotton ball with the peroxide, then slowly began to clean the area around her cuts. It stung a little at first, but no where near as bad as the alcohol had.

"You seem to know what you are doing."

Snow chuckled. "This isn't my first time. I do have to say, there are a lot of stuff in this world that make this a whole lot easier." She worked in silence for the next few minutes.

"Henry's okay right?" Emma said suddenly. Snow looked up. She grabbed a needle and threaded it.

"This is going to hurt." Emma swore as Snow began to stitch her up, but the pain didn't distract her.

"Why won't you tell me?"

Snow sighed as she continued to work. "Physically he is fine, but mentally, I don't know."

"Why do you say that? What aren't you telling me?" Emma asked.

"It's better if you don't know. I don't want you to worry."

"I'm his mother! Now tell me!" Emma snapped. Snow took a deep breath.

"A little while after Jefferson knocked you out, Riley came. She punched him in the face, and while he was caught off guard, James tackled him. The three of them were on the ground, and they had him pinned, but somehow he broke free and kicked James in the chest, throwing him across the room. He pulled his knife out and sliced Riley's leg and her face. Just as he stood...Henry came into the apartment." Emma sucked in her breath, scared to hear what happened next. "I don't know how, but one minute Jefferson was across the room and the next he was holding Henry in a headlock with a gun against his head. He said that he would shoot him if we tried anything." Snow stopped speaking for a moment, and Emma could tell that she was getting emotional. Emma herself didn't know how to respond to the information. She had a sickening feeling in her stomach, and she was afraid for her son. The only thing keeping her from running up to him now was the fact that Snow had a needle through her skin. Snow composed herself, and continued. "Riley certainly knew what she was doing, because next thing I knew, she had tackled him and had broken his nose, causing him to release Henry. James grabbed him and tried to take him to the bathroom to safety, but then Jefferson dislocated Riley's arm and threw a knife at them. James pushed him to the ground, and it barely missed his head. After that Riley kicked him in his privates and pushed him down, where they just wrestled around and beat up each other. Eventually James came along and hit him in the head with a frying pan, knocking him out."

Emma realized that she was crying. She couldn't imagine seeing her son in such danger. She didn't dare speak, and neither did Snow. After a few minutes Snow finished stitching Emma up and wrapped her arm in some cloth. Emma made a move to stand, but Snow caught her wrist.

"Wait, let me clean up that gash on your head." Emma had almost forgotten it was there. She let Snow dab it with a little peroxide, then place a band-aid over it. "There, all better," Snow whispered. She placed her hand on Emma's cheek and brushed away a tear with her thumb. Emma instinctively pulled away. "Emma..." Snow started.

Emma cut her off. "I'm sorry. I can't."

She retreated up the stairs, heading into her room, leaving her mother in the kitchen.

James was sitting on the bed next to Henry, reading him a story. As soon as Emma entered he stood, placing the book on the night stand. He figured Emma wanted some alone time with her son. He tousled the boy's hair.

"Good night Henry," he said. He turned and stopped next to Emma. He didn't want to push her boundaries, but he did place a hand on her shoulder. "Get some sleep okay?"

Emma got her first good look at him since she had regained consciousness. While he was no where near as beat up as Jefferson or Riley, he had cuts and bruises on his face and hands.

She nodded and went to her son. Even though the night was still young, she could tell he was tired, as was she.

"How are you doing?" she whispered.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" he asked quietly. She smiled and nodded. "What did that man want?"

"I don't know Henry, but you don't need to be afraid, okay? I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you."

He yawned and his eyes began to flutter. "Can you stay up here with me tonight? I don't want to be alone."

Emma smiled. She took off her boots and slid under the covers. He nestled into her. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She could feel him begin to drift off to sleep.

"I love you Mom," he said.

"And I love you, Henry."

After a minute she could hear his light snores, and slowly she sank into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Jefferson groaned. He had a pounding pain in his temple and his whole body ached. He tried to rub his eyes, but he found that his wrists were constricted. He began to pull against them, struggling to break free.

"It's pointless to struggle. If you think that we're going to let you go just like that, then you have another thing coming."

Jefferson looked up. Prince Charming and Snow White were leaning against the kitchen table, facing him. They both had their arms folded across their chests, and their faces were twisted into scowls. He could see the hate in their eyes.

He tried to say something and realized that he was gagged.

"How does it feel to be tied up Hatter?" James mocked. "Yes that's right, I know who you are now. And that just makes me hate you more. How DARE you kidnap my wife and daughter. How DARE you hold them hostage and try to kill them. And yet you have the NERVE to come to our home and not only hold them hostage AGAIN, but TORTURE MY DAUGHTER IN FRONT OF MY EYES! HOW DARE YOU!"

"James," Snow said, putting a hand on his arm, "don't wake Emma and Henry."

James glared at Jefferson. He strode over to him and leaned in close. "This time, we are going to play by my rules. I'm going to ask the questions, and you are going to talk." James ripped the tape from the Hatter's mouth. The quick action made Jefferson's face sting and he gasped in pain.

James retreated back to stand next to his wife.

Jefferson whimpered. "Grace, grace..."

"How dare you ask for grace when you have shown my family none!" James spat.

The Hatter looked up. "My daughter. She has my daughter, Grace. And she is going to kill her. She took her from me once and I can't let it happen again."

"Wait, you have a daughter?" James asked, his tone slightly softened. Jefferson nodded.

"Regina, she approached my yesterday. She said that I needed to bring you to her or she was going to kill my baby." He started to weep at the thought that he had once again failed to protect his daughter.

"What does she want with me?" James questioned.

Jefferson shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that my baby is tied up in a cellar somewhere and that tomorrow Regina is going to kill her if I haven't delivered you to her."

James could relate to the sorrow that the Hatter felt. He was just trying to protect his baby girl. And yet, James couldn't forgive him.

"Listen, Hatter. I understand the motive behind your actions, but that doesn't change anything. You kidnapped my wife and daughter twice. You tortured MY baby girl. There is no way that I will ever forget what you have done. And I will never forgive you." Jefferson hung his head, defeated. Snow could see the hurt in James's eyes, and she understood what he was feeling. James sighed. "But," he started, his voice almost compassionate,"I can't let your little girl get hurt."

James walked to the Hatter and removed his bonds.

"Go find her." James stood. "But don't ever show your face here again."

Jefferson rose. His eyes glistened with tears. "Thank you." He slowly exited, leaving James and Snow to stand in silence.

Snow wrapped her arms around her husband, laying her head on his chest. "You are a remarkable man Prince Charming," she said. She felt his arms encircle her and pull her into a tight hug. He clung to her, not ever wanting to let her go.

She felt tears drip onto the back of her neck. She looked up, only to find him weeping. He began to shake with sobs. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, wiping away his tears with her thumbs.

James was always strong for her. And she loved him for that. But what made her love him even more was the fact that he was not afraid to cry in front of her.

"Sh, James, I'm here," she whispered. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into their room, shutting the door behind them. She guided him to the bed and sat down pulling him against her. He melted into her arms and continued to sob. She rubbed his back, trying to sooth him.

"I almost lost you again," he choked. "I almost lost Emma. I don't know what I would have done if he had hurt you. If he had hurt her. I swore to protect you, and I couldn't."

"Hey," she said tilting his head up. She leaned her forehead against his. "You were willing to sacrifice yourself for us. You are an amazing man, James, and it is an honor to be married to you." She leaned forward and kissed him softly.

"What does Regina want with me?"

"I don't know, but she will hurt you over my dead body."

James cupped her cheek in his palm. "Don't talk like that. You know what she is capable of."

Snow placed her hands on his neck. "You know, earlier when you said goodbye, there was something I wanted to tell you," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. A single teardrop ran down her face, and James brushed it away.

"And what is that?" he whispered.

"I love you too, Prince Charming."

He smiled at her. "I told you, it's James."

She laughed. "I still like Charming better."

**I hope you guys enjoyed it! I had fun writing it! **

**Now, who is excited for the Season 2 premiere today? I know I am!**

**A lot of people are choosing to end their stories with the premire, but I'm going to continue mine. :)**

**I had a lot of time to write over the past week, so I have the next two chapters done. I'm going to try to post chapter 10 tonight, and I still have some editing to do for chapter 11.**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! I know that I promised to update sooner but technical difficulties have kept me from doing so. I hate keeping you guys waiting! So for a peace offering, I have not one, but TWO new chapters for you! Enjoy!**

**Warning: This chapter is pure fluff. I couldn't resist. **

Emma had been strong over the past few days. She had tried to open up to her parents, and while it was difficult, she was glad that she had. But that didn't make this easier. It was a lot to handle, and she had finally cracked.

For the next few days she barely left her room. All she wanted to do was sleep and not think about the craziness that was her life. Every once in a while she would find a plate of food, wrapped in foil to keep it warm, placed on her dresser. She would drag herself out of bed, eat, and then place the dish back where she found it. Without fail, whenever she awoke next the old plate would be gone and a new meal would be in its place. Every once in a while she would wake to find Henry curled next to her. Many times she would sit in bed and just stare into space, trying not to think. Sometimes she would listen to the voices that wafted up from downstairs. Most of the time she just wanted to lay in bed. Everyone left her alone, and she was grateful for that. Henry would speak to her sometimes, but she could tell that he didn't really want to talk to a zombie. Emma had drifted into a semi-depressed and vacant existence. But she didn't know how to handle her new upside-down world any way else.

Snow was worried. She had never seen Emma like this. They tried to continue each day like nothing was different, but through every meeting, every meal, every errand she ran she thought of nothing but her daughter. At least Emma was eating. Every time Snow brought up a new plate of food, Emma had finished her last meal. But that didn't ease her mind in the least. Emma had shut down, and she wanted nothing more than to show her that she was loved.

Henry was laughing at something James had just said. Snow was slightly jealous of how easily they had bonded, and how close they already were. She stood in the kitchen, placing a square of lasagna on a dish for Emma. She finished preparing the meal and wrapped it in some aluminum foil. She climbed the stairs to Emma's room, pausing at the door. She listened to see if Emma was awake, and when she didn't hear anything, she pushed open the door.

A cleared plate was sitting on her dresser, exactly where Snow had left it at lunchtime. Snow replaced it with Emma's dinner. She started to leave, when she heard Emma stir. The voice in the back of her head told her to leave and give Emma space, but her motherly instincts told her to go check on her daughter. She gave in and tip-toed towards the bed, not wanting to wake her.

Snow could have stayed there and watched her for hours. She was so beautiful. She was sleeping so peacefully, even though Snow could see lines of worry and pain lining her face. Snow's heart melted for her little girl. Emma had had such a rough life, and Snow wanted to make things right. She wanted to tell Emma that she was sorry that she had been left alone for her whole life. Snow reached forward and brushed a strand of hair out of Emma's eyes. Her curls were so soft. The contact made Emma stir, and Snow pulled her hand back and inched towards the door, not wanting to be there when Emma woke up. She didn't want to push Emma too far. She had the door cracked and had stepped out of the room when she heard a voice, soft and uneasy.

"What are you doing?"

Snow turned and looked at Emma. She was sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"I was just bringing you your dinner," Snow mumbled.

"You touched my forehead." It was a statement, not a question.

"Sorry, I was just checking on you. I didn't mean to wake you," Snow said, looking at the ground.

"Well I don't need you to check on me. I don't need you to do anything for me. I've been fine all my life without you, and nothing changes that."

Snow held back the tears that were pooling in her eyes. Emma's words stung. She turned and left, not wanting to cry in front of her daughter. She stood outside the door for a minute, trying to compose herself. She didn't want James to know that she was upset. She started to go down the stairs when she realized that she had forgotten to grab Emma's dirty plate. She entered the room once more and was stopped in her tracks.

Emma was sitting in bed with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her hair fell in a curtain over her face. Her body shook as she quietly sobbed. Snow felt her heart ache for her daughter. She wanted to leave and not disturb Emma, because she didn't know if she could handle another outburst. But she couldn't leave her baby girl. Snow had vowed never to leave her again, and she was determined never to go back on that promise.

Snow strode across the room and sat on the bed. She pulled Emma to her, wrapping her arms around her sobbing daughter. She held her close, feeling hot tears bathing her shoulder. She ran her fingers through the golden curls.

"Sh, Emma, I've got you. I'm here."

Emma wanted to push her away. But she couldn't. Because there was a part of her that wanted to be comforted by Snow. The little girl inside her that had dreamed of this moment for twenty-eight years couldn't let go. Emma had to admit to herself that no matter how much she tried to deny it, she wanted to tear down her wall for her mother. She needed Snow right now. Because there was no way for her to handle her emotions alone. Right now she needed her mom.

Snow was shocked when Emma curled up against her and returned the embrace. Emma continued to weep and Snow rubbed her back. They sat there for a few minutes, Emma sobbing and Snow clinging to her, never wanting to let go.

"It's just so hard," Emma choked out.

"I know, Emma," Snow whispered. She rocked her daughter back and forth, trying to soothe her. Emma's cries began to die down. Snow could feel Emma's arms tighten around her. She gently touched her daughter's face and brushed her tears away. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Emma's forehead.

"I love you Emma. I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere," Snow said. Emma was silent, but Snow could feel her grip tighten. Snow had been afraid that Emma would push her away, but it turned out that she was doing the exact opposite. Snow couldn't help but start crying she was so happy. This was all that she had ever wanted.

Emma looked up at Snow. "Why are you crying?"

"You aren't pushing me away." Emma's face softened. She realized what she had put her mother through. She suddenly understood what this moment must mean to Snow. Emma laid her head on her mother's shoulder.

"I don't want to be alone," Emma said. She meant right now, but Snow knew what was implied. She didn't want to be alone ever again.

"I promise that I won't ever leave you Emma."

Snow held Emma in her arms. She wasn't about to let go. And Emma didn't want her to.

Emma had never had a moment like this in her life. A moment when she knew without a doubt that she was loved. Right now she felt nothing but love from her mother. It was the best feeling in the world.

Emma continued to shake, but her sobs had ceased. She held Snow in a tight embrace. She was afraid that if she loosened her grip, Snow would slip away. And she couldn't lose her. Not after she had found her.

"When Jefferson had me tied up, you volunteered to take my place." Emma looked up, making eye contact with Snow. "Why?"

Snow's heart melted. She brushed away one of Emma's tears.

"Because I love you. And it's my job to protect you."

"No one has ever done anything like that for me before. No one has ever been there for me before." Emma laid her head back on Snow's shoulder.

"Emma, I know that it's been hard for you these past few days. But I want you to know that I will always be here for you. I'm always going to protect you. I need you to know that," she said as she traced circles on Emma's back.

"I know," Emma whispered.

"Emma," Snow said quietly, "can you tell me about your childhood?" Snow felt her tense up, and she immediately regretted asking that question. She knew this was a delicate subject. "You don't have to tell me anything-"

Emma cut her off. "When I was eight my foster mother beat me up. She made me tell the social worker that I fell out of a tree."

Emma's face was absent of expression. It seemed as if this tidbit of information didn't have any effect on her. Snow didn't know what to think. She felt a surge of hatred for this woman, even though she had never met her before.

"Why would she do something like that?"

"I don't know." Emma stared straight ahead.

They sat in silence. Emma had never shared this with anyone before. She had started to build her wall after she had left that house, and had tried to push the memory out of her mind. She didn't even know why she had shared it at all.

"Emma, I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that." Emma looked at Snow and noticed that she had tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry I told you," Emma said.

"No, it's something that I needed to know. I want to know about your childhood Emma, no matter how bad it was." Snow gave Emma a tight squeeze. "Besides, I can't help but feel responsible. I put you in that wardrobe, and-"

"It's not your fault. You were just trying to do what was best for me. I know that now."

"I'm glad you know that Emma. That's all I was thinking of. I wanted you to have your best chance." Snow took a deep breath. "I'm just sad that your best chance wasn't with me."

"I wish it had been," Emma said quietly.

Snow allowed herself to smile. Emma's words brought so much comfort.

"Emma, if you don't want to talk, you don't have to. I'm not pressuring you to do anything."

"No, I want to," Emma admitted.

Emma felt more comfortable and safe than she had ever been before. She didn't know why, but she just started talking. She told Snow about each family she had lived with, the trouble she had gotten into when she was younger, and ways she had searched for her parents. She talked about the jobs she had had, and some of the relationships that she had been in. She decided to leave out the part about Henry's father. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

Snow didn't interrupt once while Emma spoke. She could tell that Emma just wanted to get all of this off her chest. It broke her heart just listening to this. She had known that Emma had a troubled life, but she had never realized what pain and hardships that Emma had had to endure. Snow wanted to sob just thinking about it, but she held it in. Emma needed to lean on someone right now, and Snow was going to be there for her. She didn't know how to comfort Emma, so she just held her. She never wanted to let go, and she could tell that Emma didn't want her too. Her daughter hadn't released her grip on Snow since she had embraced her.

"Snow?" Emma asked out of the blue.

"What is it?" Snow brushed a strand of hair out of Emma's eyes.

"Can you stay with me tonight?"

Snow smiled at her daughter. "Of course."

* * *

Henry slept soundly on the couch. James sat next to him, trying to read a book, but he couldn't focus on it. Every few seconds he glanced at Emma's door. Snow had been in there for a few hours, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

Suddenly the door opened and Snow descended down the stairs. James immediately stood and rushed over to her. He followed her into the kitchen.

"What is going on up there?" he whispered.

Snow smiled at him. "She opened up to me." She pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water.

"So, how's it going?"

Snow's face fell a little. "Some of the things she told me James, they are breaking my heart. She has always felt alone and unloved." Snow's eyes pooled with tears. "I'm being strong for her, because that is what she needs right now, but I don't know how much longer I can listen to this. It makes me regret sending her through that wardrobe. If I hadn't, then she wouldn't have had this horrible life."

"Hey," James said, brushing away the tears that had started to fall. "She had a life because we sent her through. Sending her through was her best chance. It hurts that she has had to go through all these horrible experiences, but at least she had a life to live."

Snow wrapped her arms around her husband. She knew that he was right. But that didn't take the pain away.

"I better go, she is waiting for me." Snow kissed him, and then pulled away. She climbed the stairs with Emma's water and entered her daughter's room.

Emma was sitting with her back against the headboard. Her knees were pulled up to her chest. Her eyes were red and her face was stained with tears. Snow sat next to her and handed her the glass. She took it and gulped the water. Snow moved and leaned against the headboard next to Emma, waiting for her to start talking. Emma shifted and lay down. Snow was unsure of whether or not to copy her actions, but decided to. She settled next to Emma.

To her surprise, Emma nestled into her side. She wrapped her arm around her little girl, pulling her closer. Her fingers gently stroked her hair.

"Can you tell me a story?"

Emma didn't know why she had asked Snow that. It was just something she had always wanted when she was little, but none of her foster parents had even cared.

"What do you want to hear about?"

"How did you meet him?" Emma asked as she pointed to Snow's wedding band. Snow smiled.

She told Emma all about their first encounter in the woods. She talked about stealing his jewels, and then giving him a nasty cut on his chin. She recounted how he had chased her down, and eventually caught her in a net. She talked about facing the trolls and knights, and how they had continued to save each other.

"When did you know?"

"Know what?" Snow inquired.

"When you loved him." Snow stared at Emma. She thought of the love that she had for James. She thought of how their love had broken curses and created a daughter that she was so incredibly proud of.

"The moment I tried on his mother's ring. I knew then and there that I wanted to marry him. I knew that he was my true love, and that there was no one else that I wanted to spend my life with."

Emma didn't ask any more questions. They both stayed silent. Emma was content with just being there with her mother.

After a few minutes Emma drifted off to sleep. Snow lay still, not wanting to disturb her.

She kept replaying their earlier conversation in her head. It was as if Emma truly wanted someone to know about her past. Snow could tell that she didn't leave anything out, and she was glad that she didn't. Because no matter how much it hurt to know the truth, she needed it. She needed to know about Emma's life. The life she had missed.

She kept thinking about Emma's foster parents and how much she hated them. These people were lucky to have had the chance to be a part of Emma's childhood, and yet they had treated her like garbage. They had abused her and hated her. Emma hadn't known what love was because of these terrible people.

Tears trickled down Snow's cheeks. She was never going to let anyone hurt Emma again.

* * *

"NO!"

Emma shot up, a scream escaping her lips. She was quivering and drenched in sweat. Images from her nightmare swam across her vision.

She held her head in her hands. She pushed thoughts of her nightmare from her mind. She couldn't bear the sights any more, even if they weren't true. She still couldn't hold in a sob, and tears began to stream down her face.

Snow had heard Emma yell from the kitchen. She had been down getting some hot chocolate after she had had trouble sleeping. She immediately set her drink down and rushed up the stairs. She threw the door open and crossed the room, taking a seat next to Emma. She wrapped her arms around her and held her close. She whispered words of comfort as Emma began to calm down. Snow settled down next to her daughter. She ran her fingers through Emma's curls.

"It's just a dream. It's not real," Snow whispered.

"It felt pretty real," Emma said. She clung to her mother and rested her head on her shoulder. She loved the comfort that Snow provided. And right now, it was exactly what she needed.

For the first time in her life, Emma felt loved and protected. And for the first time, she not only wanted her mother, but needed her.

**I love these mother-daughter bonding moments...as you can see...**

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Enough with the fluff...I think its time for some action! **

**Enjoy!**

Rumplestiltskin locked the doors of his pawn shop. The morning air was crisp and there was a slight breeze. He buttoned his coat and began to walk down the street. He enjoyed the skip in his step, and was rather pleased that he could leave that dreadful cane at home.

Belle had been sound asleep in her room when he had left that morning. He had stood in the doorframe for a few minutes, just watching her. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was alive, and still beautiful as ever. He wanted to make the Queen pay for the hurt she had caused his beloved, but he figured that he would let the townsfolk get their hands on her first. He knew that she would pay for her crimes, and he knew that he would eventually get his revenge.

Before he left he had written Belle a note, instructing her not to leave and telling her that he would be back soon. As much as he didn't want to have her out of his sight, he had business matters to attend to. He had set his message one her nightstand, along with a trinket to remind her of his love for her. He had kept the chipped teacup with him since the moment Regina had returned it to him, and parting with it had not been easy. But he felt that Belle needed to see it.

There were not very many people out and about, but anyone that he came near to seemed to shy away from him. They remembered who he was, and more importantly, what he was capable of. The thought pleased him. He enjoyed his power.

As he walked down the street, he spotted someone unfamiliar. The girl hopped on a motorcycle and zoomed away towards the direction of the woods. He stops and stared in her direction. He would have to look into the identity of this stranger, but not today. He had more important things to attend to.

He reached the apartment building that he had visited many times. He climbed the stairs and headed towards a familiar green door. He raised his fist to knock. He thought about just teleporting inside, but instead he just pounded on the door.

He heard the conversation die in the apartment. He heard feet walking across the floor. The locks on the door clicked, and it was swung open to reveal Snow White.

The last time he had seen her, as herself that is, she was standing in front of his prison, with her husband, asking for information about the Queen's curse. At that time, he had never seen the Princess so worried and fragile. And then he met Mary Margaret. That woman had been everything that Snow wasn't. She had been weak. The woman who stood before him now was, without a doubt, Snow White. Mary Margaret was gone. The fire had returned to Snow's emerald eyes, and her stance screamed authority and pride.

"Rumplestiltskin," she spat, her eyes narrowed.

"Your Highness," he said with a small bow.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I'm here to see Miss Swan."

Her eyes grew dark. She made a move to slam the door in his face, but he held up his palm, stopping her. He used magic to push the door all the way open, and he stepped around Snow.

"No need to make things difficult, dearie."

James and Henry were seated at the table. Henry froze in between bites of cereal, his spoon suspended in midair. James rose, glaring at Rumple.

"What business do you have here, imp?" he growled.

Rumplestiltskin clucked his tongue. "No need to be rude, Your Highness."

Just then Emma exited the bathroom. She stopped as soon as she saw Rumplestiltskin. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"You," she whispered, her tone full of hate. Snow looked back and forth between Rumple and Emma, unsure of what was truly going on.

Emma advanced towards Rumple. He smiled.

"There is something we need to discuss, Miss Swan."

"GET OUT!" she suddenly roared, startling everyone else in the room. "You promised that you would help me save him, and you lied! You cheated me! He could have DIED because of YOU!"

She flew at Rumple, but James stopped her before she could reach him.

Rumplestiltskin wasn't even fazed. "If I remember correctly, Miss Swan, Henry didn't die." Emma glared at him.

Snow hadn't idea what Rumplestiltskin had to do with Henry almost dying, but she definitely wanted to know. She made a move to ask Emma, but was cut off.

"That is not the point."

"How about we stop pointing fingers and talk about something more important," he said.

"And what might that be?" she sarcastically asked.

"The fact that you owe me a favor and that I'm here to collect it."

"WHAT?" Snow shrieked. She had dealt with Rumple before, and she didn't trust him at all. He was manipulative, greedy, and selfish. Snow wanted nothing to do with him. More importantly, though, she wanted Emma to have nothing to do with him.

"You owe HIM a favor?" James asked, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

Emma looked at both of her parents. They each wore expressions of horror.

"Yes, she does," Rumple inserted. He chuckled.

"Oh Emma," Snow whispered, shaking her head.

Emma turned to Rumple, her eyes still narrowed. "What do you want?"

"I would prefer it if we could speak in private Miss Swan."

"No." The voice was deep and full of hate. James was standing, his fingers pressed down on the table. His eyes were dark as he glared at Rumple.

"I'm afraid you don't really have a choice in the matter, Charming," Rumplestiltskin said.

James glared at Rumple. "Get out," he spat. Rumple wasn't phased.

"I'm not finished here."

They all stood in silence. Neither James nor Rumple was willing to back down.

Emma moved forward. "What do you want?" she asked again. "And whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of them," she said, gesturing towards her family. She leaned against the table. James stood next to her, his arms folded across his chest.

Rumplestiltskin smiled. "I have found, Miss Swan, that you have a knack for finding people. There is someone that I need found as soon as possible."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "That's your favor? Who do I need to find?"

"My son."

"You have a son?" Emma inquired, her tone full of shock.

"Yes. I lost him years ago. And now I want him back." Rumplestiltskin shoved his hands in his pockets.

Emma sighed. "I can see what I can do. What information do you have about him?"

Rumple shook his head. "All I know is that he is somewhere in this world."

Emma scoffed. "Well it will be pretty difficult to find him if I don't have anything to go off of. I need a name, an age, a birth date, anything. If you don't even have a sliver of information for me to use, then I can't help you."

Rumplestiltskin nodded. "I understand." He turned and headed towards the door. He paused, his hand resting on the doorknob. "Don't think I'm done with you Miss Swan. I still intend to collect my favor." With that, he left the apartment.

Everyone stood in silence, still trying to process the conversation that had just ended. Suddenly James rushed to the door and threw it open.

"James what are you doing?" Snow exclaimed, crossing the room to her husband, placing her hand on his arm.

"There are some things I need to sort out with him."

Snow shook her head. "No there isn't."

"Yes. There. Is." James tried to pull away but her grip on his arm tightened.

"James, you need to calm down. We need to talk about this before you go off and do something you will regret," she said. He shook his head and turned away from her. "Don't walk away from me," she snapped.

James twisted his arm out of her grip. "I'll be back soon." He slammed the door shut, leaving a stunned Snow behind. She clenched her teeth, angry that he didn't even attempt to listen to her. She stomped to the table and cleared the dishes. She took them to the sink and began to fiercely scrub them.

Emma sat next to Henry without a word.

* * *

James saw Rumplestiltskin enter his pawn shop. He ran up to the door, throwing it open. He stormed towards Rumple.

"Hey!"

Rumple turned to face James.

"What on earth do you need Charming?" he asked.

"The favor that Emma owes you," he started, just to be cut off by Rumple.

"That favor does not concern you." Rumple entered his office, only to be followed by James.

"Well it does now. And you are going to forget that Emma ever owed you anything."

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "That's not what I do. Miss Swan and I have an agreement, and I do not intend to settle for anything less."

"Then let me repay her favor," James said.

"I don't think that's going to work. Again, that's not what I do," Rumple stated as he glared at James.

"Please. I'm just trying to protect my child. I think you can understand that."

Rumplestiltskin sighed. "What would the benefits be from altering that deal?"

"I will give you anything. Just change the deal. You still get everything." James refused to break eye contact with Rumple. He would not back down.

"Fine," Rumple spat.

James smiled. "Thank you for your cooperation." With that he exited the pawn shop and headed home.

It wasn't a very long walk back to the apartment, and soon James found himself pushing the door open. He walked in, taking off his coat and hanging it next to the door.

Emma and Henry were sitting on the couch watching a movie. Emma looked up at him and gave him a little smile, which he returned.

"Emma," he said. "You don't need to worry about owing Rumple a favor anymore."

"Why not?" she asked, pausing the movie.

James shrugged. "I took care of it."

Emma gave him a questioning look as if she was unsure of why he would do such a thing. James smiled at her and placed a hand on her cheek. She slightly flinched at his touch, but returned his smile.

James rose. "Do you know where Snow is?"

"In her room."

James nodded. "Why don't you take Henry to go get some ice cream?" Emma stared at him for a moment, slightly confused. She shrugged and proceeded to take Henry to Granny's.

James stood in the living room for a moment, just thinking. He already knew that Snow was angry with him. They both had a temper, so he was positive that there would be an argument, that's why he had wanted Emma and Henry to leave. He took a deep breath and opened the door to their bedroom.

Snow was making the bed. She had a scowl on her face and he could tell that she was in no mood to talk with them.

"Hey."

She looked up and glared at him. Without a word she slipped past him into the kitchen. He followed her.

"I took care of everything," he said. "Emma doesn't owe him anything anymore."

"And how did you manage to do that, may I ask?" She grabbed a rag and began wiping the counters down.

"I just talked to him about it. He agreed that I could repay the favor instead." She paused, gripping the rag tightly in her hands. She threw it into the sink and turned to face him. She leaned against the counter, shooting him looks of disapproval.

"James, you can't make decisions like that without talking to me about it first."

"I was trying to protect our daughter Snow." James folded his arms across his chest and returned her glare.

"That isn't the point. The point is that you walked away from me like my opinion didn't matter. We do things together James! You do not get to make all the decisions!" Snow had stepped forward so that their faces were just inches apart. Her fingers were clenched into fists at her sides.

"I did what I had to do to protect our family!" James roared, inching closer to Snow.

"James you always do this to me! You try to act alone and you do what you think is best without even bothering to consult me! How do you think it makes me feel when you act like you don't even care about my opinions?"

"Snow, I promised to protect this family! I will do whatever it takes! I think I know what is best when it comes to that! I think of nothing but your safety!" Their faces were mere centimeters apart.

"You have such a disregard for everything! You don't think about the consequences of your actions! Rumplestiltskin is dangerous James, and yet you go after him yourself. What if something had happened to you? It's just like when you would go off hunting Regina without even telling me. I'm sick and tired of not being included in you decisions. I'm sick and tired of being pushed away when I'm just trying to help you!"

"I'm sorry that everything I do isn't good enough for you!" he yelled.

Snow reached out and slapped him across the face.

"Don't you DARE say that James! You know that is not true! Do not suggest that I don't appreciate you. Do not suggest that I don't LOVE you James because guess what? I do! I love you more than life itself. I am NOTHING without you James. You are my soul mate. I was lost without you James. I was broken. And now that we are together, I am whole again. I am proud to call you my husband, James."

Snow trembled as tears ran down her cheeks. James stood and stared at her, his eyes wet.

"Snow..." he started but she held her hand up, cutting him off.

"James I don't want to do this right now. I'm going out for some air. Please don't follow me." She exited the apartment, leaving James alone. He stood silently for a moment before he began to shake with sobs.

* * *

Emma and Henry sat by the ruins of their old castle. It was still fairly early in the morning, and neither of them had been in the mood for ice cream, despite James's suggestion. They had mindlessly walked around town before they had subconsciously arrived at their old meeting place.

Henry sat on a swing, swaying back and forth. He hadn't said much since they had left the apartment. Emma rose from her seat on a log and joined him.

She wondered what was occurring back home. She had a suspicion that her parents were fighting, yet it seemed unreal. She didn't know how she truly felt about them yet, but she knew that they were the most loving people she had ever met. She had never seen people so in love. The thought that they would be fighting was absurd. Yet she had seen the look on Snow's face after James left, and she knew that that woman had a temper. She wondered how long it would be until Henry and she could return home.

"Emma," Henry said, disrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah kid?"

"Are you happy?" he asked slowly.

Emma jerked her head up. "What do you mean?"

"You're reunited with your parents, yet you don't seem real happy about it."

Emma sighed. "Henry, it's going to take a while for me to adjust to this new life," she said, "but that doesn't mean that I'm unhappy. Besides, I have you. And that makes me happier than you could imagine."

Henry smiled. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Ice cream sounds really good all of a sudden."

Emma chuckled, but continued to follow the kid back to town. As they strolled along the sidewalk, she spotted someone very familiar rushing into Granny's. She pulled Henry along and entered the diner, following the woman with the pixie cut.

**Hope you guys liked this chapter! I have a hard time writing Rumple but I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. Plus I've never written a family fight before, so that was a little difficult.**

**Please review...I love to hear from you guys.**

**Now...I think I have kept you guys waiting long enough. Who wants to know who Riley is? That's right...the reveal is next chapter! I am currently writing it, but I have had it planned out since the start of this story. I am super excited and I hope you guys like plot twists, because I sure do. :)**

**Message me all your theories about Riley and I will mention everyone who gets it right! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Who is excited for the big reveal?**

**I have to say, this was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. I have had it planned out since the beginning of this story, so I'm super excited to post it. Plus it is the longest chapter yet. **

**Enjoy!**

Regina threw her glass across the room. It shattered as it struck the wall.

"How did he find her?" she roared.

"Your Majesty, it is still unclear to us what happened. Believe me; the girl was under maximum security." The guard avoided looking the Queen in the eye.

"Yet a simple hatter was able to break in and retrieve her? Please explain to me why he was able to do that. She was being held prisoner for a reason! You have failed me, you pathetic fools!" She waved her hand, throwing the doors of her office open. "Get out of my sight!"

The knights scurried out of the room, and she slammed the doors behind them. With a flick of her wrist, the shattered glass pieces vanished. She walked over to her mirror, which was currently clouded.

The genie's face appeared. "What do you plan to do? The hatter has proved to be completely useless."

"I never should have trusted him. I thought that he would get me results. Yet I still don't have Prince Charming's heart."

"Maybe you should think about something more important than taking away Snow White's happiness."

"Don't tell me what to do!" she screamed.

"I wasn't, Your Majesty, but there are more important matters. For instance, the fact that the residents of this town have been hunting you."

She scoffed. "They are the least of my worries. My shields will keep them away from me."

"There's something else," the genie started. He waited for her to cut him off, but she just raised an eyebrow. "There is a stranger here."

Regina's eyes widened. "Strangers can't come to Storybrooke. It's part of the curse."

"Unless magical blood flows through their veins," the genie said.

"What are you suggesting?" Regina inquired, inching closer to the mirror.

The genie would have shrugged his shoulders if he had any. "All I know is that there is a stranger here that must have a connection to our world."

Regina began to pace. She felt a small flicker of worry. The presence of this stranger was definitely something that needed her attention.

She turned to the mirror. "I want you to find out as much as you can about this stranger. Report back to me as soon as you have any information."

The genie nodded, then began to disappear. Just before he left, Regina stopped him.

She stared into the face of the mirror for a few moments. "Are you sure that you can't get into their home?"

The genie shook his head. "Your Majesty, all reflective surfaces have been covered. I'm sorry, but there is no way for me to communicate with him," he said, his words hanging in the air.

Regina had a far-off look in her eyes. She took a deep breath, and then faced the mirror once more. "Go do your job genie," she spat. With that, he disappeared from view. The reflective surface became clouded.

Regina sank into her chair. She had a lot of things to be worried about, and she knew that, but her mind couldn't focus. No matter how much she tried to deny it, there was only one thing that she truly cared about.

All she wanted was to see him. To hold him in her arms and tell him that she loved him. She missed everything about him. He was the only thing she could think about. She just wanted him back. She couldn't stand being apart from him. For ten years he had been completely hers, and now he was gone. But she wouldn't give up. She would fight for him until the day she died. She was not going to lose him.

Regina rose and crossed the room. She poured herself a glass of apple cider. She sipped on the drink, a new plan forming in her head already.

She was going to get Henry back.

* * *

Red was wiping down the counters in the diner when the door was flung open. Her head shot up and she locked eyes with her best friend.

Snow's face was flushed and Red could tell that she had been crying. There was also the unmistakable look of anger in her friend's eyes. Red walked around the counter.

"You look like you need to talk," Red stated, raising an eyebrow. Snow nodded.

They slid into a booth. Snow automatically put her head in her hands.

"So, what's up?"

"Marriage." Snow sighed.

"What did Prince Charming do this time?"

Snow shook her head. "It's not what he did, it's what I did."

"Do tell," Red said, leaning forward.

"I slapped him."

Red's eyes widened. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"I'm such a terrible person!" Snow exclaimed. "I've never done anything like that before. I just got really angry, and then he made a snide comment, and I just lost it."

"Hey, he probably deserved it if he made you that mad. Honestly Snow, you have a temper but not much makes you that angry." Red leaned forward and grasped Snow's hand. "You are the farthest thing from a terrible person."

"A good person wouldn't treat her husband like that."

Red shrugged. "I wouldn't know. And I'm not going to try to give you advice. But all I can say is that I know he loves you and that you love him, so at the end of the day, this fight isn't going to matter."

Snow sighed. "That doesn't mean I'm not going to regret it."

"Okay, stop beating yourself up about it. It's over with and you both can just move on and be the ridiculously in love people that everyone knows."

Snow smiled slightly. "Thanks Red. I've missed you."

Red grinned. "I know," she joked, earning a laugh from Snow.

"I probably should go make up with James," Snow said with a sigh.

"Have fun with that," Red added with a wink. Snow shook her head with a small laugh. She rose and turned to leave when she spotted Emma and Henry sitting in the booth behind them.

* * *

Riley slammed the door to her room. She flung her backpack on her bed. She curled her fingers into a fist and swung it towards the wall, stopping just before she made contact. As much as she wanted to hit something, she knew that no good would come from putting a hole in the wall.

She hopped in the shower, wanting to take her mind off of things. As the burning water rinsed the grime away, she broke. She allowed herself a moment of weakness, and sobbed. That's the thing she liked about showers. You couldn't distinguish between the water and the tears. After a minute or so, she pulled herself together. She wasn't a crier. As she stepped out of the shower, she left behind her tears. They were a sign of weakness, and she was nowhere near weak.

She ran her fingers through her hair, combing the wet strands. She slipped into a pair of jeans and pulled on a simple button down shirt. She pulled her phone out of her backpack and dialed a very familiar number.

Her mother picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom. It's Riley." Riley began to pace around the room.

"So nice of you to check in. Although, it's been just delightful not knowing where you've been for almost two weeks."

"I'm in Maine," Riley said into the receiver.

"Why am I not surprised that you are across the country? You're lucky I didn't send the police after you. You know, running off in the middle of the night is a really mature thing to do Riley. What good did you think would come of this 'adventure'?"

Riley sighed. "I'm coming home."

She could hear her mother laugh. "Do you really think that you can just act like nothing happened? Riley, you can consider yourself kicked out."

Riley's face went blank. "Mom, I'm only sixteen. You-you can't do that to me Mom. I'm sorry-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it sweetheart. You wanted to leave? Well, now you don't ever have to come back," her mother spat.

"Mom please-"

Static filled Riley's ears as her mother disconnected.

She tossed the phone onto her bed and took a deep breath. She didn't hold back, and punched the wall as hard as she could. Her knuckles burned as they came in contact with the plaster. She felt her hand tear through the wallpaper and slide into the wall. She pulled her hand back, noticing that she had split her knuckles open once more. She dusted the plaster off of her hand and proceeded to collapse on the bed. She waited for the tears to pool in her eyes, but they didn't. She wasn't a crier.

* * *

Henry sat at the counter, deeply engaged in conversation with Red. Emma could tell that he was fascinated by her. She couldn't help but glance over there every once in a while.

Snow sat across from Emma. She could tell that her mother was deeply embarrassed. Emma didn't know why she was trying to hide her personal life. They were, after all, a family.

"So," Emma started, attempting to break the awkward silence. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't want to talk about my marital issues with you Emma. It would be awkward for the both of us."

Emma laughed. "It wasn't awkward when you told me about your one night stand."

Snow blushed. "I was cursed," she mumbled.

"Look," Emma said, leaning closer to Snow. "I don't know why you're embarrassed. It's no big deal. So what if I know that you guys had a fight? It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!"

Emma shook her head. "I know you think that, but honestly-"

Snow held up her hand. "Emma, stop. We're not going to talk about this." She made a move to leave, but Emma grasped her mother's wrist.

"Why won't you just talk to me? You always say that I have to meet you halfway, and I think I have done a pretty good job so far. But you have to do the same for me. You always say that you want to know me. Well guess what? I want to know you too. Not Mary Margaret, but you, Snow White. But if you won't talk to me I'm going to just stop trying." Emma let go of Snow's wrist. She slipped out of the booth and began to walk away. She turned. "We used to tell each other everything. And now you won't. This is what I was afraid of. I didn't ever want to lose my best friend."

Snow watched her daughter walk out the door of the diner. She quickly wiped away the tears that had started to form in her eyes. She stood and followed Emma.

"Keep an eye on Henry, Red!" she threw over her shoulder.

Emma was sitting on a bench not too far from Granny's. She was silently crying, and hadn't even bothered to wipe away the streams of liquid running down her face.

Snow sat next to her. Emma scooted away, but Snow just moved closer. They sat in silence for a moment. Snow reached forward and grabbed the tip of Emma's chin. She turned her daughter's face towards her. She brushed away Emma's tears with the tips of her fingers.

"If you must know, there is a reason I didn't want you know about the fight. It's because I was trying to protect you. You have had such horrible families in the past. I just wanted you to know what a happy family was." Snow took a deep breath and continued. "I'm sorry. It's just that I keep trying to do the right thing and be the best mother I can for you, but honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm going to mess up a lot, and I just hope that you will always forgive me. And I hope you know that you never lost your best friend. Instead you just gained a mother."

Emma was silent. Snow dropped her hand and stood.

"Wait," Emma whispered. Snow turned back towards her daughter.

Emma stood. "I hope you know that you are the best friend I've ever had. But you are nothing like what I envisioned my mother to be." Snow's face fell.

"I'm sorry-"

"You are better than any mother I ever dreamed of." Snow's face shot up.

She couldn't hold back her tears as she threw her arms around Emma. "Thank you."

Emma pulled away. "Come on. Let's go home."

* * *

Riley pulled her laptop out of her backpack. She sat on her bed and turned it on. As the screen came to life, her attention became focused on the picture she used for her background.

She remembered the day she had taken it. It had been rainy for a week and finally the sun had come out. She had built a new motorbike and had been itching to try it out. But despite the beautiful bike, her brother dominated the picture. He had just turned ten, but he seemed so much older than that.

He had been getting better, so they had let him come home that weekend. His hair was starting to grow back, and short chocolate brown curls covered his head. His blue eyes were bright and full of life, a contrast to his pale skin and sunken cheeks. He was wearing one of her leather jackets, and it hung loosely on his small frame. He sat on the bike, his smile stretching from ear to ear. She remembered them laughing and joking around in the garage that day. She had been grateful to have him back.

Her fingers brushed across the screen. He seemed real and alive in that picture. She closed her eyes and could hear his voice and his laugh. But she quickly snapped back to reality. She had learned that no good came from living in an illusion.

She opened a folder that contained pictures. She browsed through, looking for a specific one. Once she found it, she double clicked it. It enlarged, taking up the entire screen.

It had always been one of her favorites. Her father stood next to a motorcycle. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His hair was long and curly, and his chin was covered in short stubble. He eyes shone brightly, and he flashed his pearly white teeth. He was incredibly young and handsome. On one of his hips he held a two-year-old Riley. In the moment that the photo was taken, he seemed happy.

She reached forward and touched the screen.

"Where are you Daddy?" she whispered.

* * *

The Charmings sat around the kitchen table, each person picking at their lunch. While Snow and Emma were on very good terms, James and Snow had only spoken a few words to one another. Each of them was too stubborn to apologize first.

Henry awkwardly looked back and forth between his grandparents. As he finished his food, an idea popped into his head. He cleared his plate, but instead of returning to his seat, he headed upstairs.

Before he reached the top, he turned back to his family. "Emma," he said. He didn't call her 'Mom' very often because he was still getting used to the idea. When she looked up he smiled. "Can you come up here? I have something that I want to show you." She raised her eyebrow, but after a second she caught on. She nodded and washed her dishes, then  
proceeded to follow him up the stairs, leaving James and Snow alone.

Snow shook her head. "They aren't very subtle."

"Not at all," James said in a monotone. He kept his eyes on his plate.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"I forgive you." James still didn't make eye contact with her.

"That's all?" she asked.

James rolled his eyes. "What do you want me to say Snow?"

"'I'm sorry' would work but feel free to get creative James," Snow spat, rising from the table. She proceeded to scrub the dishes with a scowl across her face.

"Snow-" he started but was cut off by the sound of someone knocking on the door. He walked to it and practically threw it open.

"Hey," Riley said. "Is Emma here? I need to talk to her."

James moved out of the way. "Come on in. I'll get her for you." He walked to the base of the stairs. "Emma," he called, "Riley's here!"

Emma came out of her room and descended the stairs, followed by Henry. She smiled and greeted Riley.

She hadn't seen her since their encounter with Jefferson. The girl looked a lot better. The bruises that had covered her face and neck had significantly faded. The cuts had healed, leaving only faint scars behind.

"What do you need?"

Riley sighed. "I'm leaving town." The room fell silent. Snow moved from the kitchen to the table so she could better hear the conversation.

"Why?" Henry asked. "You just got here!"

"I know kid. But there isn't anything left for me here. I came here for two purposes, and now there is no other reason to stay."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "Can I ask what the two things you came here for were?"

Riley shrugged her shoulders. "The first is pretty obvious. I was supposed to come help you. But my knowledge of curse-breaking is limited, so there really wasn't much I could do for you. But that does remind me..." She took her backpack off and unzipped it. She pulled out her thick, leather-bound storybook. She held it out towards Henry. "Here kid, you take it."

Henry shook his head. "That's your book! I can't take that..."

"Trust me; you need it more than I do. Hey, it might be able to help you, and if it does, then my work here is complete." Henry slowly took the book from her. He held it in his hands for a moment before pulling it to his chest.

"I'll take good care of it."

Riley smiled. "I'm sure you will."

"Hey, what was the second thing you came here for?" Emma asked, curious.

Riley awkwardly looked at the ground. "I came here to find someon-thing. Something."

Emma knew she was lying. "Oh really?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't here."

"Okay, enough of this. Who are you looking for? And don't try to deny it," Emma said, narrowing her eyes. She was determined to get the truth out of this girl.

Riley returned Emma's glare. She didn't want to reveal this bit of information. She had wanted to be mysterious for a reason.

"My father," she whispered.

Everyone in the room gasped. Riley wasn't surprised.

"But you said that your father sent you here," Snow stated.

"Yes he did." Riley could see the confusion in their eyes, but she chose not to tell them anything else. "Look, I just came by to give you the book. I'm going to get going." She turned towards the door, but Emma moved to block her path.

"You're not going anywhere until you give us some answers."

Once again Emma and Riley were locked in a staring contest. And once again, Riley lost.

"Okay."

They moved to the living room. Riley sat on the couch, making herself comfortable. She could already tell that this was going to be a long conversation.

"What do you want to know?" Riley asked.

"How about the truth," Emma replied.

Riley took a deep breath. "My name is Riley, I'm sixteen years old, and I'm from Los Angeles. My parents are divorced and I haven't seen or heard from my father in years. My mom remarried six years ago and she and my step-dad have a little girl together. I just finished my sophomore year of high school, and I ran away from home twelve days ago."

She fell silent. No one was sure of how to respond.

"How do you know about the curse?" Snow asked.

Riley's lips curled into a small smile. "When I was little, my dad used to tell me stories about about an Enchanted Forest. He said that once upon a time, an evil queen cast a powerful curse, sending everyone to this world. He said that all of their happy endings were ripped from them."

"How did your father know that?" James inquired. Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

"I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that he gave me two books filled with Fairytales. I lost one when I was six, and I guess that he brought it here," she said gesturing towards Henry's book.

"Your dad wrote my book?" Henry exclaimed.

Riley nodded. "Mine too."

"Wait, you said that your father sent you here to find Emma. Does he know that she is the Savior?" James asked.

Riley nodded. "He told me that when she was twenty-eight that she would bring back the happy endings. He said that when I was sixteen that I would have to come to Storybrooke and find her. He said that I would have to help her in any way that I could, because breaking a curse isn't something that can be done alone."

"Why is it your job to help me? I've never even met you before," Emma stated.

Riley shrugged. "My father told me that we had a responsibility to protect you. He said that you would need someone to guide you."

"Okay, I'm confused. How does your father know all of this? It's not like it's common knowledge," Snow said, her brow furrowed.

"He knows your stories for one simple reason." Riley paused. Every person in the room was hanging on each word that she said. "They're his story too. Your curse is his curse. Like you, he doesn't belong here."

"Who is your father?" Emma questioned.

"You wouldn't know him. I thought that when he left, he would have come here to help you. But he isn't here. I've been looking for the past few days, and he is nowhere to be found."

"Tell me who he is, maybe I can help you," Emma said.

"Okay, you wanted answers, and I gave you plenty. This is something that is on a need-to-know basis, and you don't really need to know."

Silence filled the room.

Riley checked the time. "I really need to go pack so I can get on the road at a decent time. I need to get to Boston tonight." She rose, grabbing her backpack. "Look, I came here to help you break the curse. I wish I could be more helpful, but I can't. I don't really know much about Fairytales anyway. The best I can do is give you that book and hope that you can find some use for it." She walked to the door, and no one stopped her. She opened it and walked out.

James rose. "I'm going to go take a walk. I need to think."

As he left the apartment, Henry retreated upstairs with his two books. Emma followed her son.

Snow made herself a mug of hot chocolate. She could barely process all of this new information. She didn't know how long she was in the kitchen, but eventually she drained her cup. She placed it in the sink and went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She tidied up to room just to keep busy.

She heard the front door open and close. She could hear footsteps cross the apartment, followed by a faint knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in."

James entered. He held his hands behind his back and had a small smile on his face. He crossed the room and stood in front of her.

"Snow," he whispered.

"James," she replied.

He pulled out a beautiful bouquet of flowers from behind his back. It was a lovely arrangements made up of all her favorite flowers.

"I know I don't always do the right thing. But I want you to know that I am sorry. And I love you so much."

She smiled and placed her palms on his cheeks. "Apology accepted," she murmured as she kissed him.

He placed the flowers on the nightstand and wrapped his arms around her. He held her close, and she laid her head on his chest.

"How does family dinner tonight at Granny's sound?"

Snow looked up at him and smiled.

"Wonderful."

* * *

Riley placed the last of her things on her motorcycle. She couldn't believe that she was leaving. She had been so sure that her father was here.

She gathered her hair at the back of her head and tied an elastic around it. She placed her sunglasses on top of her head. She pulled her leather jacket on and zipped it up. She bent over and tied one of her shoelaces that had come undone.

In the distance she saw the Charmings walking down the street. Snow and James held hands while Emma and Henry walked a few steps in front of them. They all wore smiles and Riley could see the happiness radiating from them.

She couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy. That was all that she had ever wanted. She wanted two parents that loved her and actually wanted her. She wanted to be more than the product of a drunken mistake. She wanted her parents to love her. But she knew that they didn't. Her mother couldn't stand the sight of her and her father had left years ago. She still didn't know why she had come looking for her dad. She had been hoping that he had only left to come help break the curse, but that wasn't the case. Her dad had left because she wasn't good enough.

She had clung to this Fairytale thing because it was the only thing she had from him. Her story book was her last link to her father and she had given it away. She wanted to take it back from Henry, but she knew that he needed it. Truthfully, she hadn't expected this all to be real, so she was glad that it was. Believing in it had been the only thing in her life that had made sense.

She didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't have a home to go back to, and she was quickly running out of money. She knew that she could stay here, but she just wanted to get away.

"Riley!" Emma called, disrupting her thoughts.

"Hey."

"You headed out?" she said. Riley nodded. "At least come have dinner with us before you go."

She shook her head. "I've got to get on the road. I've got a long ride to Boston."

Emma's face fell a little. "I'm going to miss you. Even though your detailed knowledge of my life and the curse plus your ability to kick a grown man's but kinda freaks me out."

Riley laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment. And thank you, by the way. For everything." She looked each one of them in the eyes.

"No, Riley. Thank YOU." Emma beamed at the girl that she now considered a friend.

Riley held out her hand. Emma grasped it and shook it. "If you ever need anything, I'm just a phone call away."

"Got it," Emma said with a small laugh.

She turned to Henry. "You take care of that book, okay?"

Henry smiled. "You can count on me." He threw his arms around her. She gladly hugged him back.

When she pulled away, she quickly shook hands with James. Snow pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thank you for all that you've done for my family," she whispered.

"Don't mention it."

They stood there for a moment. Riley smiled. "I better head out." She took a step towards her bike.

"EMMA!" The voice came from across the street near the diner. The Charmings all turned to face it, while Riley was stopped dead in her tracks.

"August?" Emma whispered. Her eyes widened and a grin spread across her face. "AUGUST!"

He slowly walked towards them with a slight limp. Emma stepped forward, not able to believe that he was alive.

"Emma you broke the curse! You believe!"

"Yeah. Henry helped a bit." Emma reached out and pulled her friend into a hug. "You were dead. I saw you."

"There's magic here. It brought me back," he said, beaming.

Riley couldn't take it any longer. She slowly turned around.

August froze, his eyes growing wide.

"Riley?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief.

Emma looked back and forth between Riley and August. She hadn't known that they knew each other. Suddenly it clicked.

Emma realized why she had trusted Riley so easily. Why Riley had seemed so familiar. She realized where she had seen those bright blue eyes before. She realized where she had seen that posture, that walk, that personality before. In front of her stood two people who were exact replicas of one another, and she couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed it sooner. Suddenly everything made sense.

"Hi Daddy," Riley whispered.

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**So, who guessed Riley's identity before the end of the chapter? I gave tons of clues...**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I hope you are excited to see where this goes. Let's just say, there will be drama!**

**To clear a few things up: August left Riley years ago, and I will definately go into that. he also wrote both of the books, and I will explain how Henry's got to Storybrooke. Riley does have a younger brother, but I couldnt reveal everything about him just yet ;)**

**I havent even started the next chapter, but I have it completely planned out. I hope to update as soon as possible.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I love writing this!**

**Please review I love to hear from you!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! Hope you like this chapter, even though it it a little short.**

"Hi Daddy."

The world froze around him. For what seemed like an eternity, he stared into those gorgeous blue eyes, unable to look away. He could barely breathe. He couldn't think. He was completely consumed with the fact that his daughter was standing in front of him.

He wanted to reach out to her. He wanted to touch her just to know if she was real. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not.

He felt a tear run down his face.

"Riley." The name rolled of his tongue. He remembered picking that name. He had thought it was beautiful from the moment that he heard it. He had known that it was name fit for his daughter.

He tried to say something else but the words caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say to her. He hadn't spoken to her in years.

He was aware of everyone around him. He could feel their eyes watching him, but that didn't matter. He was in his own little world where only two people existed: his daughter and himself.

He slowly took a step closer to her, just wanting to be near her.

She took a step backwards, in an obvious attempt to get away from him.

"Riley," he whispered.

"It's been nine years, ten months, and seventeen days since you left," she stated. He froze. She had been keeping track, just like he was.

"Sweetheart, let me explain-"

"I don't want to listen to you," she snapped, cutting him off. "I was only six years old when you left. How could you do that? I thought you loved me."

"Riley-"

"Was I not good enough for you?" she asked as tears streamed down her face.

"Riley listen to me-"

"NO!" she yelled. "You made a choice the day you walked out that door. And now you have to live with it. You didn't want to see me or speak to me again? Well consider your wish granted. Because I don't want anything to do with you. Not anymore," she spat.

She turned around and sprinted towards the woods.

"RILEY!" he yelled. He started to run after her, but his leg cramped up, causing him to tumble to the ground. He saw Emma chase after her.

He sat there, in the middle of the road, and wept.

* * *

_August leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door. He ran his fingers through his long, curly hair. He dropped his hands to his sides and drummed his fingers against the wall._

_He was nervous. These five minutes had been the longest of his life, that much was certain. All he knew was that in a few seconds his life could completely change._

_The door opened and she walked out. Her face was pale and it looked like she had been crying._

_"What does it say?" he asked, his voice shaking. He felt like he already knew the answer._

_She looked up. "I'm pregnant."_

_In that moment, the world stopped spinning. He was going to be a father. The thought absolutely terrified him. He didn't know anything about responsibility. He immediately thought of baby Emma. He was supposed to look out for her, and he wasn't even able to do that. How was he supposed to be someone's father?_

_"What do you want to do?"_

_She sighed. "I think I'll just take care of it."_

_He looked up. "What does that mean?"_

_"It means that I'm not going to have a baby at eighteen."_

_He suddenly felt the need to protect his baby. He didn't know how, but he knew that he already loved it, and despite his fears, he wanted it. More than anything he had ever wanted before._

_"I can't let you do that Annie," he said._

_"Excuse me? You aren't the one that is going to have to have a baby, August!" she snapped._

_"Hey," he said, reaching out and grabbing her hand. "WE'RE going to have a baby. You won't have to go through anything alone because guess what? I'm going to be here. For you and for our baby."_

* * *

Emma had always been a runner. But chasing a teenager through the woods certainly put her out of breath. She knew she couldn't stop, so she kept pushing herself to keep going. She knew that Riley would tire eventually, she just wished that it was sooner rather than later.

She realized that she was running along the bank of a small river, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the Toll Bridge. Panting, she came to a stop and collected her breath.

Riley was leaning against a tree, gasping. Her face was flushed and stained with tears.

Emma walked over to her.

"Riley, you can't run away from your problems."

The girl glared at her. "Who are you to judge me? You don't know my life. You don't know what I've been through because of him."

Emma sighed. "You told me earlier that you were looking for your father. Well, here he is. I don't get why all of a sudden you have no interest in him whatsoever."

"Honestly? I was looking for him. I thought that I wanted to find him. But I don't. Just seeing him made me angry, and I just lost it," Riley said.

"Trust me, I get it. But do you want to know a little secret?" Emma asked, earning a small nod from the other girl. "It was hard facing my parents for the first time. But I'm glad I did. I know that right now you want nothing to do with him, but trust me, that will change. You don't know his side of the story, and from personal experience, I can say that things aren't always what they seem. Look, you don't have to talk to him today, or even tomorrow for that matter. But you do have to talk to him eventually. You can't shut him out forever."

Riley remained silent. She kicked a few rocks into the water.

"I'm just afraid."

"Of what?" Emma inquired.

"Rejection." Riley mumbled her one word reply. In that instant, Emma saw a girl that was truly broken.

Emma didn't know what to say. "I don't think he will reject you."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw the look on his face," Emma started. Riley raised her eyebrow. "I could tell that he cares about you."

"If he truly cared about me, he wouldn't have left." The look on her face made Emma's stomach drop.

"Riley, I already said this once, and I'm going to say it again. You don't know his side of the story. I used to think that my parents left me on the side of the road, when in reality they sent me away to protect me. I've realized that my parents sacrificed everything for me. You have no idea how much of a difference that makes in my life. Honestly, I think he cares about you. I don't know why he left, but I think you should hear him out. He seemed like he wanted to explain everything to you, and I think you should give him that chance."

"I don't want to face him," Riley whispered.

"Well, no good is going to come from running away. How about we head back to town. You can come back to the apartment and think about what you want to do."

Riley looked up at Emma. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I understand what you are going through," Emma replied.

They began to walk through the woods. Riley shoved her hands in her pockets. "Can I ask you something?"

"Absolutely."

"How long did it take you to forgive them?" she asked.

"My parents?" Emma responded, earning a nod from Riley. "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I used to hate them so much and now I just don't anymore."

"What changed your mind?"

Emma sighed. "I don't know exactly. But I think it was the moment when I decided to open up to them that I forgave them."

"So that is what you think I should do? Open up to my dad?" She had stopped walking and waited for Emma's answer.

"I'm not great at giving advice, but I think that would be the best choice."

Riley nodded, accepting Emma's response.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?" Emma said as she turned to face the other girl.

"Could you maybe talk to him for me? It looked as if you guys were friends, and I think he would talk to you. I just don't want to walk into it blindly." Riley looked at the ground.

"Of course I will," Emma said with a smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

August laid on his bed in his room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast. He knew that he should go find his father, but he could only concentrate on one thing. And she had run off into the woods.

He knew that she was with Emma, and that eased his mind a bit. But not much. He wanted to be with his daughter, even though he doubted that he would have that option anytime soon. Riley had told him, in no uncertain terms, that she wanted nothing to do with him. And that had hurt.

The phone suddenly rang. He jumped up and answered.

"Hello?"

"August," Emma said.

"Is she with you?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"She is back here at the apartment."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you think I could come over to see her?"

"I think it would be better if we talked first," Emma stated.

"And why do you say that?"

"Because she asked me to speak with you," Emma replied. August fell silent. "How about I come over there in a half-an-hour."

August sighed. "Okay."

She disconnected the call. He tossed his phone onto his bed and rubbed his hands down his face. He didn't know what he was going to say to Emma.

He sat on the edge of the bed, just thinking. Before he knew it, he heard someone pounding on his door. He rose and opened it to find Emma.

She held up a take-out bag from Granny's. "I brought burgers."

He smiled at her. "Thanks."

She sat at his desk while he took a seat on his bed. They both quietly ate for a few minutes.

August looked up. "Is she okay?"

"She just saw her father for the first time in years. Do you think she is okay?"

August sighed. "No. What I really want to know is whether or not she completely hates me."

"Well then I have some good news. She doesn't hate you. Strongly dislike, maybe, but not hate," Emma said.

"What all did she say about me?"

"She said that she was afraid of rejection. She thinks that she wasn't good enough, and she worries that you still feel that way about her. She said that she didn't know if she could forgive you for leaving-"

"I DIDN'T LEAVE!" August roared, startling Emma.

She glared at him. "Your daughter has seen or heard from you in almost ten years. I think that qualifies as leaving. Which, by the way, is a pretty crappy thing to do. I don't understand how you could possibly not love someone so much that it would drive you to walk out the door."

August was silent. His fingers curled into fists.

"Do not EVER suggest that I do not love my daughter," he spat, fire in his eyes. "You have no right to judge me. You have no idea what my life has been like."

"Then tell me August! I'm done playing these games with you!" she yelled. "And I do think I have a right to judge you. You know why? Because I know exactly what she is going through! I know what it's like to think that you are worthless. I know what it is like to never feel loved!"

"I DO LOVE HER!" he screamed. He stood, towering over Emma. "I DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE! I NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE!"

"What does that even mean?" she snapped as she stood. She looked him straight in the eyes.

"Nine years, ten months, and seventeen days ago, I went to Vegas because I had a job interview. I was gone for a week. Just a week. When I came home, my wife had filed for divorce, and had gotten a restraining order." His face fell and tears pooled in his eyes. "She said that I was a psychotic. She told the courts lie after lie, just to keep me away. I wasn't allowed to see, or even communicate, with my family anymore. And there was nothing I could do about it."

Emma was stunned. She had had no idea how complicated this all was.

"Why would your wife do something like that?" Emma asked slowly. For some reason, she didn't like the idea of August having a wife. But that was beside the point.

He sat on the bed, holding his head in his hands. "Annie is a very...complicated person. She never wanted to marry me, and she has told me so on several occasions. I guess that she wanted to get back at me for getting her pregnant in high school. She had never wanted that life."

"Then why didn't she just leave?" Emma inquired as she sat next to August.

"Because there was a small part of her that loved our family. We had a good life together. It wasn't perfect, and it certainly wasn't easy, but I was happy. And I thought she was too."

Emma reached out and grabbed his hand in an attempt to comfort him. He glanced at her, and she saw that tears had started to run down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry I judged you. I had no idea what you've been through."

"It's okay." He sighed.

"So what did you do about it? I can't imagine you would leave without a fight," she said.

August chuckled. "That much is true. Since the moment I lost them, I've never stopped trying to get my family back. Although, it did distract me from helping you. That's why I turned into wood. Because I wasn't where I was supposed to be."

Emma shook her head. "You are supposed to be with your family."

"Look how well that's turning out."

"She'll come around. I mean, look at me. I've always hated my parents and now I'm actually starting to have a genuine relationship with them. It's because we are a family, and you can't hate family," Emma stated.

"I'm sorry Emma," August said, catching her off guard.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Leaving you at that orphanage. I had already wronged your family by taking your mother's place in that wardrobe, and then I didn't even have the decency to stick around and protect you. I was a coward. I'm sorry." He hung his head.

Emma squeezed his hand. "You don't need to apologize. You were just a little boy. Besides, what's done is done. Is doesn't matter that you left me. What matters is that you came back." She paused. "And the same thing goes for Riley, you know. You're here now, and that is what is important."

He smiled at her. "Thank you Emma. For everything."

"Don't mention it. And I get what you're going through. Not being with your kid is hard enough, but not having a choice about it is even worse."

"Being separated from them is the worst curse," he said. "What hurts the most is that I've always wanted and loved Riley and Tyler."

Emma's brow furrowed. "Who's Tyler?"

"My son. Riley's younger brother. Didn't she tell you about him?"

"No..."

* * *

Riley sat on the couch back at the apartment. Everyone else left her alone, and she was perfectly fine with that.

She had tried to act interested when Henry had showed her his own book, but it was hard to concentrate. Her thoughts constantly wandered to her father. Finally she had pretended that she was tired just so the kid would go away. She had felt a little bad about that, but she just wanted to be alone right now.

She heard the door open and saw Emma come in. Immediately Snow greeted her, but the blonde shrugged her off. Emma rushed into the living room, followed by both her parents and her son.

"I talked with your father today," Emma said, her arms folded across her chest.

"What did he say?" Riley asked.

"He told me about Tyler," Emma said, her tone soft and gentle. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Riley felt her stomach twist into a knot. "I would prefer not to talk about my brother." She heard Snow, James, and Henry collectively gasp.

"You don't have have to. Your dad told me what happened. I'm so sorry."

"Wait, why don't you want to talk about your brother?" Snow asked, earning a glare from Emma.

"Really?" Emma whispered.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to keep up with the conversation," Snow mumbled.

"It's okay," Riley said.

Riley bit her lip. She could already feel tears pooling in her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of these people. Not after she had worked to hard to prove to them that she wasn't weak.

"There is a reason that I don't like to talk about Tyler anymore. It's because," she paused and wiped away a tear, "he died three years ago."

**Dun dun dun!**

**I**** know that this was completely focused on Riley and August, but it was necessary. I promise that I haven't forgotten about the other characters in this story :)**

**I promise that there will be some action and some romance ) very soon! **

**Now, the next chapter should be called "What Happened to Tyler"...that was me trying to make a joke...**

**Hope you enjoyed! Please review, it keeps me motivated! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update. School has been super busy lately, plus I have had major writers block. **

**I like to call this chapter "What Happened to Tyler". I'm not sure if you guys will like it because it is very different from anything I have written before. It was extremely difficult to write, but I told his story in the best way that I could. I don't plan on making this a big part of my fanfic, because it is focused on the Charming family, but this backstory is a huge part of Riley's character. I promise that next chapter there will be some developments with our favorite family!**

**In the meantime...ENJOY!**

_"Come on Tyler, keep up!" Riley yelled back at her brother. For a nine year old boy he sure was slow._

_"Stop walking so fast!" he complained. He finally caught up to her but practically had to jog to keep up with her pace. "Why do we have to walk home anyway? Why can't Mark just pick us up?"_

_"Because Mark isn't going to take time out of his schedule to come get us."_

_Tyler was silent, and Riley could tell that he was thinking._

_"Does Mark even like us?" he asked._

_"Mark has been married to Mom for two years. I think that he has gotten used to us," Riley said._

_"You didn't answer my question."_

_Riley faced her brother. She had always looked out for and taken care of him. And she had promised that she would be completely honest with him._

_"No. I don't think Mark likes us at all." Tyler nodded. She could tell that he wasn't surprised._

_They continued walking home in silence._

_They had lived in the same house since Riley had been born. It was small, and pretty run down. The paint was peeling and the porch was slanted. They didn't have much of a yard, but they did have a small garage._

_The house was empty when they arrived home, but that wasn't unusual. Both of their parents had jobs, and Riley and Tyler were often left to fend for themselves. But Riley had gotten used to it. She was in the habit of taking care of her brother, and she really didn't mind it. She enjoyed spending time with him, and always put him first. He was, without a doubt, her best friend._

_They headed out to the garage as soon as they got home. Riley was fixing up an old motorbike, and Tyler was her trusted assistant._

_"How was school today?" she inquired as she polished a piece of metal._

_He shrugged. "Nothing special."_

_"Did you learn anything?"_

_"No, but two kids got in a fight during recess," he replied._

_"Tyler can you hand me that can of grease?" she asked, gesturing to the shelf._

_He nodded. The can was on the top shelf, and he had to stand on his tip toes to get it. He thought he had a firm grasp on it, but it slipped from his fingers, tipping on its side. Grease splattered out and covered his shirt. He groaned._

_Riley sighed. "Take off your shirt and leave it in here. Mom will have a field day if you get any in the house."_

_He pulled off his t-shirt and placed it on the ground. As he walked out of the garage, something caught Riley's eye._

_"What on your back Tyler?"_

_He turned to her. "What do you mean?"_

_His back was covered with a large, dark purple bruise._

_"Tyler you have a giant bruise on your back," she stated. "Did you get hurt at school today?"_

_He shook his head. "Nope."_

_She shrugged her shoulders. "That's weird."_

_He walked back into the house, and Riley proceeded to forget to forget about his back._

_They worked on the bike and finished their homework before their mother came home._

_"Tyler! Riley! Dinner!" she yelled as she walked in the door._

_They sat at the table and began to eat. Their mother didn't hover; she never had, so they ate alone. As Riley was finishing up her fries, the back door swung shut and Mark entered the kitchen._

_He wore a scowl, and Riley could tell that he had had a terrible day. She knew that he would take it out on them, as he always did._

_"Elbows off the table Riley. Wipe your face Tyler," he said as he stormed in. "I didn't know we ate like animals in this house."_

_Riley stared at her food and attempted to avoid eye contact with her step-father._

_Dinner usually went like this every night. Riley and Tyler would eat by themselves, their mom would retreat into her room, and Mark would pick on them._

_Once she and her brother had finished eating, she cleared their plates. They both headed to the room that they shared._

_For the rest of the evening Tyler and Riley stayed in their room. Riley read to her brother from the story book that their real father had left behind. They loved escaping into the fantasy world. It was a great way to deal with the life that they were stuck in. Although, Riley never told her brother that the stories were true. Maybe that was because she didn't know if she truly believed it herself, but it was probably because it was something special she shared with her father. She didn't have much from him, and she was eager to hang on to what she did._

_As Tyler started getting ready for bed, she noticed his bruise once more. She hadn't ever seen anything like it, so she decided that she needed to bring it up to her mother._

_She walked out to the living room where her mom sat on the couch, engrossed in a television show._

_"Mom?"_

_"What?" her mom said without taking her eyes off the screen._

_"Tyler has a really bad bruise on his back and he doesn't know where he got it," she said._

_"What do you want me to do about it?" her mom asked, slightly annoyed._

_"I don't know, but I think he might need to see a doctor if it doesn't go away."_

_Her mother rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll look into it. Now head to bed and don't interrupt my show again."_

_Riley went back to her bedroom and collapsed on the bottom bunk. As she drifted off to sleep, she wasn't sure if her mom even cared about Tyler._

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?" Emma asked.

Riley nodded. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to go get my room back at Granny's. I'm exhausted, and it's been a pretty emotional day."

"You aren't going to leave tomorrow right?"

"No. I have a feeling that I'll be sticking around for a while," Riley admitted. She stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," Emma said with a small smile.

Riley began to walk away when she turned back.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you give me my dad's number?" she whispered.

"Of course." Emma grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled August's cell phone number on it. She handed it to Riley, who stared at it for a moment before slipping it in her pocket. The girl gave a small smile before heading down the stairs.

Emma shut the door and sank into a chair at the table. It had been a pretty emotional day. Riley had just spent the last hour sobbing uncontrollably. Emma hadn't known how do get the girl to stop, so she had just sat there. She couldn't deny that tears made her uncomfortable, but for some reason Riley's weeping hadn't bothered her. She truly felt bad for the girl.

Henry had gone to bed a while ago. Her parents were standing in the kitchen speaking in hushed tones. Emma caught them glancing her way multiple times. To no one's surprise, Snow came over and sat across from Emma.

"Emma," she started, causing the blonde to glance up. She took a deep breath. "Would you mind telling us what's going on?" James sat behind his wife, nodding his head in agreement.

Emma sighed. "August's ex-wife got a restraining order against him ten years ago. That's why his kids haven't seen or heard from him in so long. He wanted to be a part of their lives, but he was forced to stay away from them."

"That's awful!" Snow quietly exclaimed. "As much as I don't like him, I don't think anyone deserves that."

Emma chose to ignore her mother's comment about not liking August.

"What I want to know is what happened to this Tyler boy," James inserted.

Emma looked at her father. "I only know what August knows. He only knew what his ex would tell him and what information the hospital provided. Apparently he got really sick when he was nine. It went on for about a year, and they thought that he was getting better, so they let him go home. He died in the middle of the night. I can't be certain, but August made it seem like Riley was the one that found him."

Snow shook her head. "That poor girl. I can't even imagine."

Emma sighed. "Honestly I think she needs to talk to him about it. He is the only one who understands how she feels. I don't think I can help her that much, not matter how much I want to." She yawned. "I think I'm going to go to bed. I'm so worn out."

"Sleep well. Well see you in the morning," Snow said, earning a nod from Emma.

* * *

_Riley laid on her bed, a new book in her hands. She had been reading it all afternoon, and it was nearly impossible to put down._

_She heard the door open and close and could hear Tyler make his way across the room. She expected him to climb up on his own bunk, but was surprised when he took a seat next to her feet. She shut her book and sat up._

_"What's up?" she questioned._

_"Mom is talking on the phone."_

_"Where you eavesdropping again?" she asked with a small chuckle._

_"She's talking to my doctor." He was twirling his thumbs. He only did that when he was deep in thought. He looked up. "Riley, what's leukemia?"_

_Her eyes widened. She had known that her mom had taken him in for an appointment. She had known that they were running tests. The whole ordeal had slipped her mind. She had convinced herself that he was fine and that it wasn't a big deal. She had never thought that something could actually be wrong._

_She cleared her throat. "Why do you ask that Tyler?" She already knew the answer._

_"That's what I heard Mom say I have. What is it Riley? Is it bad?"_

_"Come here," she said. He crawled next to her and nestled into her side. She subconsciously began to play with his long, chocolate colored curls. She didn't know what to say to him. She wanted to protect him, because that was what she had always done, but she knew that she couldn't do that._

_"Riley?" he whispered, his voice shaking._

_"Leukemia is a type of cancer Tyler. It's cancer of the blood. That means that your blood cells aren't working right."_

_He was quiet for a few minutes. "Am I going to die?"_

_She could feel tears pooling in her eyes, but she kept them from falling._

_"No Tyler. You aren't going to die. You are going to be fine."_

_It was the only lie she ever told him._

* * *

August stood outside his father's home. He raised his fist and lightly knocked on the door. He could hear shuffling, accompanied with the creaking of the door.

Gepetto stepped outside his home. He locked eyes with August. He had only seen those eyes on one other person. He stared at August for what seemed like an eternity. He knew this man. His eyes widened as he realized who he was looking at. He raised his hand and placed it on his son's cheek.

"My boy?"

"Father," August said as he threw his arms around Gepetto. He cried tears of joy as he embraced the man that he never thought he would see again. "I've missed you so much."

Gepetto pulled back but kept his hands on August's face. "Come inside my boy. We have twenty-eight years to make up for."

He led his son through his home back into the kitchen. August looked around wanting to taken every sight of his father's home. He sat at the table across from Gepetto.

"You will come and stay here right?"

August smiled. "Only if you have room for me."

Gepetto laughed. "I always have room for my boy. I'll clear out the spare room just for you."

August beamed. "I've missed you so much father."

"And I you my son." Gepetto leaned forward. "Now, you must tell me where life has taken you through these years that we have been apart."

August sighed. "Where do I begin?"

"Tell me about the most important thing in your life."

August drummed his fingers on the table. "Have you seen a young girl around town lately?"

"The one that rides the motorcycle?" he asked.

August nodded. "She is my daughter." Gepetto's eyes widened. "Her name is Riley and she is sixteen."

"I have a granddaughter?"

"Yes father." August twirled his thumbs. "Would you like me to tell you about her?"

* * *

_Riley was in the garage polishing her new bike. She had just recently finished it, and was dying to take it out for a test run. Unfortunately, it had been rainy for the past few days, so she had chosen to wait for a sunny day. And today was that day._

_It had been a year since they had found out about Tyler's cancer. He had gone through months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She had watched as her brother had changed from the happy, bubbly boy that was always bursting with energy to a kid who couldn't even get out of bed. It had broken her heart over and over again. She hated seeing him in so much pain. She would do anything to take it away, but she had to be content with sitting and holding his hand while he vomited uncontrollably. She had seen him lose every strand of his chocolate curls. She had seen his cheeks lose their rosy tint only to become sunken in and grey. She could barely look at him anymore. It hurt too much. She didn't want to see him like that._

_A few months ago he had gotten a bone marrow transplant. It had killed her when she had discovered that she wasn't a match. Through a rare stroke of luck, there had been an anonymous donor that Tyler was compatible with. Since then, he had been getting better. His hair had started to grow back, and he was able to walk on his own again. He still remained thin and fragile, and his skin was ghostly white, but he was getting better. Riley was just waiting for the day when he would finally be declared 'cancer free'._

_She worked on the bike to make the time pass quickly. Without Tyler around, she found herself bored. Her best friend was gone, and she had more alone time than she cared for. She hated keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself. She hated having to find ways to keep herself busy. Luckily, this work was soothing. It took her mind off things, and she genuinely enjoyed it._

_She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps coming towards the garage._

_"Riley."_

_She turned towards the extremely familiar voice and broke into a smile._

_"Tyler!" she exclaimed as she rushed across the garage. She pulled her brother into a tight hug. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at the hospital."_

_Tyler smiled. "They said that I have gotten a lot better, so they let me come home."_

_"Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"Because I wanted it to be a surprise," he said as he beamed._

_"I do have to say, this is a pretty good one." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the garage. "I also have a surprise," she said as she pointed at the bike. "I finished it!"_

_"Wow," he whispered as he walked over to the bike. "It looks way better than it ever did in the pictures."_

_"I was about to take it out. Do you want to take the first ride?"_

_He shook his head. "I don't know if that's the best idea. I'm still sick..."_

_"Well, you're getting better, and we are going to celebrate that. Get on that bike," she said as she handed him a helmet. He smiled at her and eagerly climbed on it._

_He only rode around the block once. She didn't want to push him; he was still sick after all. She had to admit that this was one of the best afternoons she had had all year. She missed having him here with her every day. She missed being able to talk to him and joke around. She missed seeing his smile and hearing his laugh. She realized just how much she had missed her best friend._

_The rest of the evening was delightful. Mark brought Tyler's favorite food home and they had an enjoyable dinner together. Mark didn't scold them once and their mother was actively invested in the conversation. Tyler's presence seemed to bring a happiness into their home that had never really existed._

_Riley had to admit, it was probably one of the best days she had ever had._

* * *

Riley had dialed and erased the number too many times. She needed to just get it over with and call her father, but something inside her was holding her back. She was afraid. She had spent her whole life trying to protect herself, and she didn't want to get hurt. She had told him that she wanted nothing to do with him, but she had lied. She wanted answers from him. She wanted to know him. He was her father, and she had always wanted him to be a part of her life.

She typed the number in her phone once more and pressed the call button. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of the phone ring.

"Hello?"

She didn't know what to say. She bit her lip. She really should have planned this out.

"Can you meet me for dinner at Granny's tonight?" she said. She had just meant to say hi, but it had just spilled out.

"Absolutely. How does six sound?" he asked.

"That works." She didn't know how to continue the conversation. "Kay thanks. Bye," she mumbled. She closed her phone, ending the call.

She could beat up grown men, but she couldn't even speak to her own father on the phone. She shook her head and collapsed on the bed. She didn't know what she was going to say to him tomorrow.

* * *

_"Riley?"_

_She sat up as she heard her name whispered. She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to adjust them to the darkness._

_"Yeah?" she mumbled, still half asleep._

_"I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Tyler asked._

_She scooted over on her bunk to make room for her brother. He slipped under the blankets and snuggled into her side. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close._

_"Do you want to talk about it?"_

_Tyler sighed. "No."_

_Riley decided not to push. "Do you want me to tell you a story?"_

_"Yeah..." he said. "Can you tell me one about Dad?"_

_Riley bit her lip. Tyler had been only three when their dad had left, so he hardly remembered him. All that he knew was things he had heard from Riley and his mother. She knew that her brother needed to know about their father. She racked her brain for a story when one stood out._

_It was the last story her father had told her. He had whispered it as she had drifted off to sleep. He had then tucked her in and planted a kiss on her forehead. The next day he was gone. She had always kept the story to herself because it was the last memory that she had shared with her dad._

_She cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there lived a humble woodcarver. He wanted nothing but a son. One day, he found an enchanted tree. He cut it down and took it home, where he proceeded to carve a puppet out of it. One day he made a wish on a shooting star. He wished that he could have a son. That night, the Blue Fairy came to the woodcarver's home and enchanted the puppet, turning him into a real boy-"_

_"I know the story about Pinocchio," Tyler interrupted. "Besides, I want to hear about Dad."_

_"This story is about Dad. Just be patient," she said._

_"Okay." She could tell that he wasn't convinced._

_"Anyway, the woodcarver raised his son, and they had a very happy life together. But one day, their lives changed forever. The Evil Queen, in a desperate attempt of revenge, had created a powerful curse. This curse would rip everyone from all that they loved, destroying all happy endings. There was, however, a small glimmer of hope. The child of Snow White and Prince Charming had the ability to break this terrible curse, as long as she was protected from it. The Blue Fairy came to the woodcarver and told him of the role that he would play. There was, in fact, one enchanted tree left. The woodcarver would fashion it into a wardrobe that had the ability to save two people from the curse."_

_"How does this have anything to do with Dad?"_

_"I'm getting there! The woodcarver had his worries. He feared that his son would transform back into a puppet once the curse struck. He decided that he would only make the vessel if his son took the second spot. The Blue Fairy agreed, and the woodcarver began his work. Unfortunately, disaster struck. The wardrobe took too long to finish, and wasn't completed until the day the curse struck. Not only that, but the Savior had been born early. The Blue Fairy told the woodcarver that Snow White would have to take his son's place, as the infant needed someone to guide and protect her. But the woodcarver refused. He just wanted to protect his son. The woodcarver made his son promise that he would to watch over the infant and help her reach her destiny. The boy went through the wardrobe and was transported to a strange new land. The baby followed him through, and he soon found himself responsible for a little girl named Emma. He took her to the first people he could find. The people here were very different, and that greatly confused the boy, but soon he became adjusted to his new life. He was placed in an orphanage, as was baby Emma. They lived there for a some time, and while it wasn't the best life, they were together. The boy always looked out for Emma. One day, however, he was tempted by the other orphans. They wished to leave and wanted the boy to join them. He had promised to stay with Emma, but he wanted to see this new world and he wanted to get away from this terrible place. So he left her. He broke the promise that he had made to his father and he left."_

_Tyler stopped her. "What is the point of this story? I thought it was about Pinocchio but it is nothing like the movie."_

_"This is the true story of Pinocchio," Riley told him._

_"This has nothing to do with Dad."_

_"It has everything to do with him!" Riley said._

_"How?" Tyler challenged._

_"Because the little boy that left Emma was caught and placed in a new foster home. He was moved around until he landed in a home in California. He lived there for most of high school. He met a girl named Annie, and he ended up marrying her. He had two kids with her and, for a while, they were happy. Then one day he left them, just like he left baby Emma."_

_Tyler was silent for a few moments as Riley's words sunk in. "So you're trying to tell me that our father is Pinocchio?"_

_"That would be correct," she whispered._

_"But Pinocchio is a Fairytale character. He is from a story. A story that you've read to me multiple times."_

_"How do you know that it is just a story book? Did you ever stop to think that maybe it's a history book?" she asked._

_"I'm not sure I get what you mean..."_

_"Tyler, every story in that book actually happened. These so called 'Fairytale characters' are real people who have lives and who are in trouble. You see, the curse trapped them here in our world. They don't remember who they are, or what they love. They are stuck in a town somewhere, I think Dad said it was in Maine, and they are frozen in time. And Emma Swan, the baby that came through the wardrobe with Dad, is going to come back to break the curse on her twenty-eighth birthday."_

_"When is her twenty-eighth birthday?" Tyler inquired. Riley couldn't be sure, but she detected a hint of belief in his voice._

_"In three years. And it's Dad's job to help her fulfill her destiny."_

_"That's why he left," Tyler said, "to find her and guide her. He didn't leave because he was unhappy with us."_

_Riley was silent for a moment. "I don't know. A part of me wants to believe that that is the truth, but I just don't know. Maybe he is helping Emma, but maybe he isn't. Maybe he did just leave."_

_"I would like to think that he left to honor the promise that he made to his father." Riley could tell that her brother completely believed her now._

_"You know what, in three years I'm going to find this Emma Swan. Because Dad told me before he left that it was our responsibility as well to help her. That's what our destiny is. And when I do find her and help her break the curse, I'm going to look for Dad. Because I know that if he is with her, then I can forgive him for leaving us."_

_"Will you take me with you?"_

_Riley laughed. "What kind of a question is that? Of course I will! It wouldn't be any fun without you."_

_Tyler was quiet and Riley knew that he was deep in thought._

_"We need to bring back the happy endings Riley."_

_"I know." She planted a kiss in his curls. "I love you Tyler."_

_"Love you too," he mumbled as he snuggled closer to her. She wrapped her arms around him and slowly drifted off to sleep._

_Riley couldn't sleep, and Tyler's snores certainly weren't helping. She loved her brother very much, but she couldn't take it anymore. Somehow she managed to slip out of bed without waking him up. She tiptoed out of the room until she found her way to the couch. She collapsed on it and almost instantly fell asleep._

_Riley awoke to the sound of her mother making breakfast. She was confused at first, because this had never happened before._

_She stretched and yawned. Her neck was a little sore from sleeping on the couch, but she had at least slept._

_"Riley, go wake your brother up and tell him that breakfast is ready," her mom said._

_"Okay," she responded through a yawn. She rose and shuffled to the bedroom and opened the door._

_Something was wrong. She could feel it._

_She walked to the bed. She placed a hand on her brother's shoulder and gently shook him._

_"Tyler, wake up."_

_Nothing._

_She shook him harder. "Tyler, breakfast is ready."_

_Nothing._

_She wasn't worried. He had always been a pretty deep sleeper._

_"Tyler," she said, her voice slightly raised. She shook him as hard as she dared._

_Nothing._

_A thought ran through her head, but she pushed it away. Tyler was fine. He was just sleeping._

_"Tyler!" she practically yelled. She could hear the panic in her voice. She continued to shake him as hard as she could. He needed to wake up._

_Nothing._

_Nothing._

_Nothing._

_She started to panic. Her hand flew to his chest, and to her horror, she realized that he wasn't breathing. She placed her fingers on his neck, searching for a pulse. There wasn't one._

_"MOM!" she screamed, running from the room._

_She didn't know what was happening. Tyler had been fine. He had been getting better. She couldn't lose him. She loved him too much._

_She sat in the hallway and loudly sobbed as her mom called 911. The ambulance came and took her brother. She could hear them trying to revive him. She wanted them to succeed; she would have given anything for them to succeed._

_In that moment, she had to face the truth._

_Her brother and best friend was dead._

_Tyler was gone._

**So this chapter was just a little emotional. It was very difficult to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it...if that was even possible.**

**I do have a few things to discuss with all of my lovely viewers (that would be you!) I would love to hear your opinions on the next few topics:**

**1. Which do you prefer: longer chapters, therefore longer time between updates, or shorter chapters and faster udates? I have been averaging at about 3000 words per chapter, and have been shooting for a chapter per week. Personally I like to read fanfics where each chapter is longer, but that might just be me. Let me know which you prefer, and based on the reponse, I will change my chapter length.**

**2. What are some things that you would like to see happen? I have the plot completely planned out, and I know all the major events that will happen, but I'm struggling with coming up with small details. And that does not help with writers block. Anyway, send me your ideas, and I promise to find a way to include all of them. :)**

**3. Are you guys genuinely enjoying this story? I intend for this to be a very long fic, but I only will keep going if you guys want me to. You guys motivate me to write, and I write this for you. If there are things about my story that you don"t necessarily like, please pm me. I am open to any constructive criticism that I get. :)**

**Okay well I do have some promises to make you guys. I just started working on the next chapter, but I'm not sure when that will get posted. There are a few upcoming things that I have planned for you to look forward to. **

**-There will be another Mama Snow/Emma bonding moment. I will start to get into Emma's backstory. (While I absolutely loved Tallahassee, I have my own ideas about Henry's father. I might try to encorporate some things from the show though.)**

**-Riley and August are going to have dinner...and Riley is going to meet a very important member of her family. ;) **

**-Henry's birthday is coming up...**

**-I wonder what Regina has been plotting lately...**

**Hope you guys enjoyed this last chapter, and i apologize again for keeping you waiting. I really look forward to hearing from you guys...please don't be shy...thanks again!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm so sorry that it took me forever to post this! Stupid writers block! But I am now on Thanksgiving break, so I plan to get some major writing done.**

**Here's a shoutout to my brand new beta: ladywolf101! Thanks for all of your help, you're amazing! (PS yall should really check out some of her stuff, its awesome)**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter :) **

August drummed his fingers against the table. He had been sitting in this booth for a good half-an-hour. Riley wasn't even supposed to be here for a little while longer, but he hadn't been able to wait. He was having dinner with his daughter after being separated from her for almost ten years, and he was excited and completely nervous about it.

Red placed a new glass of water on the table.

"I get the feeling that you're waiting for someone."

"You would be correct," August stated.

Red slid into the booth, facing him. "Care to indulge me?"

He leaned forward, looking her straight in the eyes. "My daughter."

"I didn't know you had a daughter! Who is she?" Red asked.

"Her name's Riley-"

"I know her! She has been staying here for the past few days."

"What do you know about her?" August inquired.

"Not much. She usually keeps to herself, but I've seen her with Henry and Emma quite a bit. Why? Shouldn't you know these things if you're her dad?"

August sighed. "There have been some...issues between us. It's complicated."

"I see." Red reached out and grabbed his hand, not in a flirtatious, but a comforting way. "I hope all goes well. I don't know what happened between you two, but I do know that you can fix it."

"My father used to have a saying: 'If it is broken, that means that it is just meant to be fixed'."

Red smiled. "Gepetto used to say that."

"Exactly."

Red had a confused look on her face for a moment. Suddenly her eyes brightened. "Pinocchio!"

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner," he said with a smile.

Red beamed. "I didn't even recognize you! How did you escape the curse?"

"Red! I need your help in the kitchen!" Granny called.

"Just a minute!"

"It's a long story but basically I went into the war-"

"Red! Now!"

Red groaned. "I'll have to hear the rest from you later. It was good to see you. Good luck with your daughter." She rose and began to walk to the kitchen. "Let me know when you're ready to order," she threw over her shoulder.

The bell rang at the door, and August turned to see who had entered. To his disappointment, it wasn't Riley. But he had no problem with the blonde in the red leather jacket

Emma walked over to the counter and greeted Granny.

"Hey, I called earlier for take-out."

"Your order should be ready in just a moment if you don't mind waiting," Granny said with a smile.

"That's fine. Thank you." Emma turned and spotted August. She walked over and sat across from him, a smile on her face. "Hey."

"Hi."

"How are you?"

"I've been better," he admitted.

"Are you meeting someone here?" Emma asked even though she was pretty sure of the answer already.

"Yeah. Riley asked to have dinner."

"That's awesome. See, you're already making progress."

"Yeah I guess. I just don't know what I'm going to say to her," he confessed.

"You know, I've been in a situation similar to this. You both are going have questions for one another, and there are going to be a lot of things that you each want to talk about. But truthfully, you shouldn't talk about the big stuff. Because you don't realize it now, but you aren't ready for it. You think you are but you're not. And then you just end up disappointing each other," Emma said. She had a far-off look in her eyes, and August could tell that she was thinking about her own family.

"What do you suggest I talk about?" he inquired.

"Ask her what her favorite color is," Emma answered.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's a get-to-know you question. You have to start small. You want to get to know your daughter right?"

"Right."

"Then you have to learn the basics first. She is more likely to open up to someone who has taken the time to get to know her as a person first."

"When did you become such an expert on stuff like this?" he asked her with a smirk.

"Well I have common sense," she said, holding up one finger. "Plus I've been through something similar," she added, holding up a second finger.

"And how is that going?"

She awkwardly looked down. He instantly regretted bringing up her family, as he knew it was a difficult subject for her to discuss.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. That's none of my business."

She shrugged. "It's okay. It just something I haven't talked to anyone about."

"Do you...want to talk about it?"

"I don't know."

"I'm all ears."

She sighed. "I'm not used to talking to other people about personal stuff."

"You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

She smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot."

"You know you can trust me right?" he inquired. He was a little afraid of hearing what her response was going to be.

"I want to trust you. But trust isn't something I hand out very easily," she admitted.

He nodded. "I understand. I hope you know that I intend to get you to trust me completely."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "And why is that important to you?"

"Because I care about you Emma. I'm your friend." Although he wished that they had more than a friendship.

She shook her head. "I don't have many of those."

"Well up you have at least one," he replied. He held his hand out to her, and she shook it. "Look, I know it probably isn't easy for you right now. I mean, Mary Margaret was your best friend, that was obvious to everyone. I can't imagine what it must be like to not have her anymore. Luckily for you, I'm here." He knew he sounded a bit cocky, but he didn't care. He also noticed the sadness that crept into her eyes when he mentioned Mary Margaret.

"Yeah, it hasn't exactly been sunshine and daisies. It's good to know that someone has my back.

"I'll always have your back Emma. I promise." She smiled, and he immediately grinned. He wondered if he was even chipping at her wall yet.

"Okay," he started, "now that you know that you can trust me, tell me how life has been lately."

She let out a big sigh. He wasn't sure if he had pushed too much. He could tell that she was uncomfortable. He decided that it was probably better to drop the matter, when she spoke up.

"It's difficult, I'm not going to lie. It's a lot to handle. I think it's going to take a while to adjust to this new life. It's nothing like anything I've experienced before. But I'm happy. I never thought that I could be, I mean I hated my parents for so long, but I'm happy."

He beamed. "That's all I wanted to hear. I hope one day my family can be happy."

"The same thing will happen with you and Riley. She will stop resenting you, I promise."

"How can you just guarantee that?" he asked.

"How about you stop asking questions and just trust me?"

"Not so long ago I knew a woman who refused to trust or believe me. Who are you and what have you done with Emma?"

She laughed. "A lot has changed. I've had my eyes opened."

August smiled. "So now that you trust me, can I ask you a question?"

She rolled her eyes. "I never said that I trusted you."

"You implied it."

"Whatever. What's your question?"

He leaned forward. "How did you like our first date?"

She chuckled. "How is it that you manage to bring up the most random of topics?"

"It's just my personality. But you still didn't answer my question."

"You said first date. Does that mean that you think that there will be more?" she asked.

"I'm not taking it off the table," he answered with a small wink. "But you still didn't answer me."

Emma leaned forward. She smiled. "I've had better."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Emma! Order up!" Granny called.

"Sorry I've got to run," she stated with a wink. "It was good to see you August." She walked to the counter and grabbed her take-out bags. That woman drove him crazy, but in a good way.

He noticed for the first time that there was a young girl talking to Red. He cursed under his breath. He couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed her come in. She noticed him looking at her, and she proceeded to walk over and sit across from him. She drummed her fingers on the table, and he could tell that she didn't want to be the first to say something. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when Red came to their table.

"What do you want to drink?" she asked as she placed menus in front of each of them."

"Ice water, please."

"Coming right up," Red said with a smile. "Let me know when you guys are ready to order."

Riley picked up her menu and scanned it, purposely avoiding eye contact with her father. He kept sneaking glances at her from behind his own menu.

He caught Emma's eye as she turned to leave. She gave him an encouraging smile, which he returned. As she walked out of the door, he heard Riley snort.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied. She looked up at him and he could see a small smile shaping her lips.

"Out with it."

She set down her menu and folded her arms across her chest. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

"What?"

"You are in love with Emma."

He would have spit out his water had he been taking a drink at that moment. How did she know? Had he been that obvious? He knew he flirted with Emma a lot, but he didn't think that anyone noticed.

"And judging by the look of things I think she fancies you as well." That was definitely possible. Emma had been overly flirty with him lately. He could only hope that Riley was right.

"And how exactly did you come to this conclusion?" he questioned. He didn't really know how to respond to her.

"You don't exactly try to hide it. And that little interaction between the two of you just proved my theories," she stated. He wondered if she had been the only one that noticed. He couldn't help but think that maybe he hadn't been doing the best job hiding his affections. Maybe it was obvious that he had feelings for Emma.

August decided to deny it. Technically, there was nothing going on between him and the Sheriff, so he didn't want the idea of the two of them together spreading around town. He knew that Emma was not ready for a committed relationship, and rumors that one existed between the two of them would just freak her out. He felt that it was best to lay low and pretend like nothing was going on.

"Well you're wrong. I don't love Emma."

"Whatever. Deny it all you want, but I know you do."

"And how exactly do you know this?" he asked.

"I'm observant," she said with a small shrug. August wanted to curse. Why did his daughter have to be so perceptive? She definitely got that from him.

August laughed. "So you're telling me that all these assumptions are being made based only on your observations?"

"That would be correct."

She picked her menu back up began to study it.

August sat in silence as he ran through their conversation in his head. He had no idea where it had come from, and he was still a little confused. It was a rather odd topic for a father and daughter to discuss, especially since this was the first real conversation that they had had in almost ten years.

His daughter was definitely something else. He could tell that she was extremely arrogant and cocky, and that she didn't really try to hide it. He couldn't deny that he particularly liked the little bit of spunk that she had. It made her different and interesting. One thing was for sure, she was, without a doubt, his daughter. Her personality was a mirror of his own. In fact, he didn't see much of her mother in her. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"What's good here?" she asked.

"The burgers are great. So is the grilled cheese."

She nodded. He waited for her to say something else, but she didn't.

"What's your favorite color?"

Riley looked up from her menu. "Why?"

"Because I want to get to know you, that's why. Is it still orange? When you were five you hated the color pink, but you said that blue and green were boy colors. I remember one day while I was tucking you in to bed you just randomly decided that your favorite color was orange. You said that it reminded you of sunsets, and sunsets are beautiful, so therefore orange was a pretty color."

Riley stared at her father for a moment. She couldn't believe that he remembered that. "Yeah," she said, "it's still orange."

* * *

Henry groaned as he lost a card game. He and James had been playing for a while, and James was not taking it easy on his grandson.

"Henry's super competitive, just like you," Snow mentioned as Emma dried the dishes that Snow washed.

"I'm not super competitive," Emma said, earning an eye roll from Snow.

"Yes you are. You get it from me." Snow smiled at Emma, but the blonde awkwardly looked away. She hated when her mother made comparisons between the two of them.

Emma and Snow finished up the dishes, and Snow turned to join the rest of their family in the living room.

"Snow?"

"Yes?" she said, heading back to her daughter.

"Henry's birthday is next week and I was going to have a little party here for him, if that's okay."

Snow smiled. "Of course it's okay. What day is it?" Snow asked, embarrassed that she didn't know her own grandson's birthday. "I know it's in the middle of June."

"It's the fifteenth."

"Wonderful. Do you need help with anything?"

"Not really. I want to do this myself you know? I've wanted to throw him a birthday party for ten years, and now I'm finally getting the chance. I want this to be perfect," Emma admitted.

"I know what you mean," Snow said with a sad smile. "Let me know if you need my help."

Snow began to walk away, but Emma stopped her.

"Wait. I do need your help. I'm pitiful in the kitchen. Would you mind making him a cake?" Emma asked.

Snow beamed. "I would love to. What are your plans for the party?"

Emma shrugged. "Something small here. Just close friends really."

Snow nodded. "He's going to love it Emma."

"I hope so."

* * *

"So when are you going to ask Emma out?" Riley asked.

Dinner had gone great. They had avoided the big topics and just stuck to the basics. But despite August's best efforts to get to know his daughter, she had kept bringing up him and Emma. It was a little annoying, maybe because she was right. He had been trying so hard to hide his feelings for the Sheriff, and it bothered him that she had noticed.

"I'm not going to ask her out," he responded. It may have been a lie, but he needed to distract her. She needed to forget about him and Emma. He didn't want to ruin his chances with the Savior before he even got to act on his feelings.

They walked down the street towards Gepetto's house. Riley had wanted to meet her grandfather, and August wasn't ready to end their time together. He loved spending time with his daughter.

"And why not? You obviously have feelings for her." He wondered why she kept bringing it up. He didn't know why it was so important to her that he had feelings for Emma.

"No I don't." Another lie. He was, in fact, Pinocchio.

"Yes you do. Why are you holding back?"

"Okay, hypothetically, if I did like Emma, the timing right now isn't good. She just reunited with her family, and she just got her son back. Plus the curse still needs to be broken. She has a lot on her plate right now, and I wouldn't want to get in the middle of that. Besides, if I did like her, which I don't, and I did ask her out, which I'm not going to do, she would say no. That woman does not want to get into a relationship anytime soon."

Riley laughed. "From what I saw at the diner, I can tell that she likes you too."

"You hardly saw anything at the diner!" At least that is what he thought. He wasn't exactly sure when his daughter had arrived there. Maybe she had seen the entire exchange.

"I saw enough. I think she would say yes if you asked her out." He wished that was true.

August shook his head. "I guess we aren't ever going to find out. Because I'm not going to ask her out. Because I don't have feelings for her." He had never lied this much in one day before. It was getting really old, really fast.

"Okay, deny it all you want. But I know that you have feelings for her. Wouldn't you rather act on them sooner rather than later? I mean, you know that being with her will make you happier. So what's holding you back?" Riley asked.

"Why am I taking dating advice from my teenage daughter?" he whispered to himself.

"Are you afraid of love?"

Her question caught him completely off guard. He had never thought about it that way before. He stopped walking and turned towards her. "What kind of question is that?"

"I just figured that since it didn't work out with Mom that maybe you think that a relationship would fail again. I think you are afraid of opening yourself up to someone because you don't want to get hurt again," Riley told him.

"Why do you say that?" He furrowed his brow. He was amazed at how incredibly smart his daughter was. And the fact that she was spot on. It gave him goose bumps. He hardly knew his daughter, and she hardly knew him, yet she was analyzing him like they had never been apart. The scary thing was that she was exactly right. August had always thought of himself as a closed book, but maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was open about the way he felt.

"Emma told me what Mom did to you. She shut you out and broke your heart. You don't want that to happen again." That was true. What Annie had done had shattered his heart, and he had spent the last ten years picking up the pieces.

"Maybe you're right," August admitted, "but I need to focus on you right now. Being a father to you comes first." He needed to shove Emma out of his mind. He loved her, and he didn't want her to slip through his fingers, but he had other priorities. Riley was his happy ending. He had been trying for years to put his heart back together, and there had always been a piece missing. And she was standing just feet away from him.

"You don't need to use me as an excuse to keep yourself from her."

"It's not an excuse, it's how I feel. Being your dad is the most important thing to me. Regardless of any feelings that I may or may not have for Emma."

"I can accept that, but it doesn't change what I saw. I know you have feelings for her."

August looked at the ground. "Why are you so observant?"

Riley smiled. "I guess it's just who I am."

He very much liked the person his daughter had grown up to be. As much as he hated the fact that he missed most of her childhood, she had turned into an amazing young lady.

"Come on. You have a grandfather who is dying to meet you."

"I'm going to perceive your change in topics as admitting that I'm right about you and Emma."

"I'm not admitting anything," August stated as a big smile spread across his face. "I'm not in love with Emma."

"I think your nose grew a bit."

* * *

"No. Stop. Please stop. No. No! Stop!"

Henry woke up to Emma tossing and turning. He could tell she was having a nightmare.

He reached out and gently shook her shoulder. "Mom."

"Stop. Stop. Stop!"

He shook her again. "Mom wake up."

"Please don't!"

"Mom it's just a dream."

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Henry jumped back. He didn't know what kind of nightmare she was having, but he could tell it was bad. He threw himself off the bed and ran out the room and down the stairs. He sprinted to his grandparent's room and pounded on the door.

"GRANDMA! GRANDPA!"

James threw the door open. "Henry! What's wrong?"

"It's Emma. She's having a nightmare and she won't wake up!"

"HELP ME!" Emma shrieked.

Snow pushed past James and sped up the stairs. James pulled Henry into a tight hug. "It's okay Henry. Your mom is going to be fine."

Snow practically leaped to the bed. Emma was violently thrashing around and kept calling out.

"Please don't hurt me! Stop! Stop! Get away from me!"

Snow shook Emma. "Wake up! Emma wake up!"

"Someone please help me." Emma was sobbing. "Don't do this to me."

"Emma sweetheart, wake up. Wake up!" Snow yelled between sobs. She shook Emma as hard as she could.

The blonde shot up with one final ear splitting scream. She was dripping in sweat and panting. Her face was bright red and stained with tears. She turned to Snow and broke into sobs. Snow pulled Emma against her and held her daughter. Emma shook with sobs as she clung to her mother.

"Make...it...stop," Emma choked out.

"Shh baby. I'm here sweetheart. I've got you. You're okay. I've got you baby," Snow whispered as she ran her fingers through Emma's hair. She rocked her daughter back and forth as tears ran down her own cheeks.

"Mom..." Emma sobbed, "Mom..."

Under any other circumstance Snow would have been thrilled to hear that three letter word. But it broke her heart. Her baby was hurting.

"I'm here Emma. I've got you. You're safe with me. I'll protect you."

Emma quieted down but she continued to tremble. Snow held her as tight as she could. She traced circles on her back and planted kisses in her daughter's curls.

"Emma, what was it? What was your nightmare about? Tell me about it, it will make you feel better."

Emma shook her head.

"Talk to me sweetheart. I'm here," Snow whispered.

"Wasn't a nightmare. Wasn't a nightmare."

"Then what was it?" Snow asked. "You can tell me."

"It was a memory."

Snow was speechless. She had known that Emma had had a hard life. Every day she had to live with the fact that Emma had gone through so many hardships. But she didn't know how to respond to this. She had heard the things that Emma had yelled in her sleep. She had seen Emma thrashing around. She had just held Emma while she broke down. Knowing that this nightmare was a reality made Snow want to sob. She wanted to know what had hurt her daughter so much that it still haunted her.

"Of what?" She tried to keep her tone soft and gentle.

"I can't tell you."

"Emma, you can tell me anything. I want you to talk to me."

"I don't want you to know," Emma whispered.

"Emma listen to me. I don't want you to keep things from me. I want you to be completely open with me."

"I don't want you to know."

"Emma," Snow said, her tone a little harsh, "I'm your mother. I need to know about this kind of stuff. You need to tell me."

"I don't want you to know because it would hurt you. And I've been trying not to hurt you anymore. I know it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but I really try not to cause you pain. And this memory has already done its damage on me. I don't want it to hurt you too."

Snow brushed away the tears that had started to fall. "Emma, I don't care. Please tell me."

Emma fell silent, and Snow wondered if her daughter had been pushed too far.

"Sweetheart-"

"It was about Henry's father."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Snow asked.

"Not today. I'm not ready. And neither are you."

Snow nodded. She decided not to push it any farther. "Whatever you want sweetheart." She continued to run her fingers through Emma's hair. Emma rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

There was a faint knock at the door. Snow looked up to lock eyes with her husband.

James tiptoed towards the bed and sat down next to Snow and Emma. "Henry's asleep," he whispered. He placed a hand on Emma's back and began to trace circles. "Are you okay Emma?"

She was silent. James wondered if he had made her uncomfortable. He dropped his hand and moved to leave.

"No. I'm not." She had started to cry again.

"It was a memory," Snow murmured to James. His eyes widened. He wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter and pulled them into a tight embrace.

"We're here Emma," he said. She continued to cry, and Snow and James just held her. They didn't know how else to comfort her.

Emma was way out of her comfort zone. But she didn't care. Because her parents were comforting her. Her mother and father were holding her. It was all that she had ever wanted her whole life.

Mom and Dad.

She would never admit it out loud, but she liked the sound of that.

* * *

Snow had stayed with Emma after she had fallen asleep. She had curled up next to her daughter, close enough that she could comfort Emma if needed, but far away enough that she didn't push Emma out of her comfort zone.

She hadn't been able to sleep. She was too worried about whether or not Emma was okay.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Emma mumble in her sleep. She listened closely, trying to make out what she was saying.

"I don't want to. I don't want to."

Snow wasn't sure what Emma was talking about. She wondered if it was the same dream from earlier.

"I don't want to. I don't want to!"

Emma's voice had raised and she had started tossing and turning. Snow immediately scooted closer to her. She gently shook Emma.

"Wake up Emma. It's just a dream," she whispered.

Unlike last time, Emma woke up right away. She laid there for a moment collecting her thoughts before she turned to her mother.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked.

"No. I was already awake." Emma nodded and turned over and away from Snow.

Snow laid back down and couldn't help but feel a little hurt. She just wanted to comfort Emma. She was lost in her thoughts when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see that Emma had moved closer to her.

"I just...I need..." Emma mumbled. Snow understood what her daughter was trying to say. Emma would never admit that she wanted to be comforted. Snow pulled her close.

"It's okay. I'm here." Snow slowly ran her fingers through Emma's hair.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Snow asked.

Emma was quiet.

"Emma are you apologizing for wanting me to be here with you?"

"I just don't want to be an inconvenience."

"Emma look at me." Emma looked up at Snow. Her mother placed her hand on her face. "You are the farthest thing from an inconvenience. I want to be here Emma. I want to be with you. I want to be the one that comforts you. I want to care for you. You know why? Because I'm your mother and I love you."

Emma smiled. She laid her head back down on her mother's shoulder.

"I called you 'Mom' earlier."

"I know."

"Thanks for being there for me."

"I always will be."

**How did you guys like it? This was a difficult chapter to write, but I enjoyed it. I promise that we will find out all about Henry's father (my version at least) VERY soon. Plus, its obvious: I ship Wooden Swan. I'm very excited to see how their relationship progresses ;)**

**So a certain little boy has a birthday coming up, and its been a while since we heard from our favorite Evil Queen...**

**As always, reviews are greatly appriciated and adored :) **


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! Thanks for all of the awesome reviews!**

**Once again I would like to thank my amazing beta, ladywolf101!**

**Hope ya'll enjoy!**

Emma shut the front door. She had spent the entire day getting ready for Henry's birthday, which was tomorrow. It was a lot of work, but she was happy to do it. In fact, she wanted to do it.

If she had had her way she would have just picked up a grilled cheese from Granny's, but Snow had a new rule that they had to have dinner as a family every night. Emma didn't mind, she actually enjoyed the family time, but it got on her nerves a little bit. Snow had been trying to bond with her ever since her nightmare. Emma knew that her mother wanted her to open up and share every tiny detail of her childhood. It was pretty obvious that these family dinners were just a way for Snow to break down Emma's walls even more. And though she hated to admit it, these tactics were definitely working.

James and Henry were setting the table as Snow finished preparing the food. She was greeted with warm smiles from all of them, plus a hug from her son. She hung her jacket up and joined her mother in the kitchen.

"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"I'm pretty much done, I just need to dish everything up," Snow replied.

Emma opened a cupboard and took some plates out. "I'll do that."

Snow smiled. "Thank you. How was your day?"

Emma checked to make sure Henry wasn't nearby. "Good. His P-R-E-S-E-N-T was finished."

"Are you going to tell me what you got him?"

"Nope," Emma said with a grin. "I want it to be a surprise."

She took the filled plates to the table and set them down. Almost immediately Henry and James sat down. Snow and Emma joined them.

They made small talk as they ate. Emma noticed that it was getting easier and easier to talk to her parents. While she wasn't ready to completely open up to them, she found that she genuinely enjoyed their company. She liked being around them. She liked the idea of having a family.

* * *

It was almost midnight when Emma tiptoed down the stairs. She was trying to be as quiet as possible. Not only was Henry asleep, but she knew that Snow was an incredibly light sleeper. Ever since Emma had had those terrible nightmares, Snow had been incredibly protective, especially at night. Emma didn't really mind the attention from her mother, but it was slightly annoying. She couldn't even get a drink of water in the middle of the night without Snow thinking that she was having a nightmare. Even though that usually was the case.

Emma miraculously made it downstairs without waking anyone up. She sank onto the couch. She had been having the dream again. It wasn't as intense as usual, but it still shook her up. She needed to find a way to get these memories out of her head. They just kept tormenting her, and she had had enough of it.

She heard her parents' door open and close. She sighed.

"Emma?"

She had been expecting to hear Snow's voice, and was a little shocked to find her father standing in the living room. He never woke up in the middle of the night.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"Nothing."

She didn't fool him. "Bad dreams again?"

She gave in. "Yep."

He joined her on the couch. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. Besides, don't you already know?"

"Know what?"

"Come on. Didn't Snow tell you about Henry's father?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, she didn't. You have to give her some credit Emma, she wouldn't tell me something that you told her in confidence. Just because I'm married to her doesn't mean that she tells me everything."

Emma smiled. "That's doesn't surprise me."

James gave a small laugh and then fell silent. He looked up at her, a concerned expression on his face. "So," he started, a little unsure of himself. He cleared his throat. "What is this about Henry's father?"

Emma looked at the ground. "It's nothing."

"It's obviously something."

"I just don't feel like talking about it."

"Was your nightmare about him Emma?" he inquired.

She didn't say anything, and he assumed that he was right. His suspicions were confirmed when she slowly nodded her head.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Emma looked at him. "Didn't you already ask that?"

"Yeah," he said with a small sigh.

"You must really want to talk," Emma commented, causing James to laugh.

"That would be correct." He paused and turned to her. "But I hope you know that I'm not pushing you to open up or anything. I just want you to know that I am here for you if you do need me."

"I know."

"And not just to talk. I'm here if you need anything," he told her.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"You know, I do have a sword, so if you ever need me to beat up a guy just let me know."

Emma snorted. "Actually I might take you up on that."

He laughed. "Anyone specific?"

Emma nodded. "Henry's dad."

"I'm guessing that you don't like him," James stated with a raised eyebrow.

Emma shook her head with a small chuckle. "That would be an understatement."

"Really? Why?"

She didn't know if she wanted to talk to him. She was still getting used to the fact that he was her father. And besides, she had barely known him before the curse was broken. She hadn't had very many deep conversations with him, maybe because she didn't know how to talk to him. But during these past few weeks, she had gotten to know him, and she had discovered that she trusted him more than anything. She knew she wasn't ready to tell him everything, but she decided that it wouldn't hurt to open up a little bit.

Emma shook her head. "That guy is the reason I was put in jail. He is the reason I had Henry behind bars, and therefore, the reason that I couldn't keep my son. He had done a lot of crappy stuff, but that alone makes me hate him more than words can describe."

"So," he said slowly, "you wanted to keep Henry?"

"Always."

James was silent for a moment. He stared at Emma. "I didn't want to put you in there alone. I wasn't going to. But your mother made me see that it was what was best for you. And though I hated it, I knew she was right. She's always right," he added with a small laugh. "Emma, life has taught me that there is a difference between what you want, and what is the right thing to do. It was best to give you away. But that doesn't mean I wanted to. I hated putting you in there by yourself. It killed me. Because I always wanted you. I thought that I would regret sending you through, but I don't. Yeah, I hate that I missed everything and that we were apart, but you have become an amazing person. And you did the right thing for Henry. And that's what I admire most about you Emma. The fact that you know the difference between what you want and what is right."

Emma brushed away a tear before James could see it. She didn't know how to respond to her father. He had just poured his heart out to her, and though she hated to admit it, she was glad he had. Because the things he had said to and about her were things that she had been waiting her whole life to hear.

She was not about to initiate a hug, but she wouldn't have denied him if he had given her one. But instead he just rose and headed back towards his room. He paused, turning to her.

"I love you Emma."

She knew, without a doubt, that he meant it.

* * *

Emma gently shook Henry. That kid was the deepest sleeper she had ever met.

"Henry, wake up."

He cracked his eyes open and rolled over. "Too early," he mumbled.

Emma chuckled. "I guess that I'm going to have to give all your birthday presents away if you don't want to come get them..."

He sat up. "I'm awake!"

She laughed and pulled him into a hug. "Happy Birthday Henry."

He smiled. "Can I go see my presents now?"

"I don't know what's stopping you."

He rolled out of bed and threw the door open. He sprinted down the stairs and straight into the kitchen.

The kitchen table was set with a huge birthday breakfast, prepared mainly by Snow. The living room hosted a generous pile of wrapped presents. James and Snow stood in the kitchen, beaming at their grandson.

"Happy Birthday Henry," James said as he pulled Henry into a hug.

"Happy Birthday," Snow told him as she gave him a hug as well.

"Can I open my presents?"

"After breakfast Henry," Emma added as she climbed down the stairs.

He groaned. "Come on!"

"Hey, I never said that you had to eat slowly."

Henry shoveled his breakfast into his mouth as fast as he could. Emma, James, and Snow struggled to keep up with his pace. It was no secret that he was eager to get to his presents.

He was not happy when Emma made him wait for everyone to finish, and he was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as they all sat down in the living room. Emma had decided to do family presents now, and then celebrate his birthday tonight at his surprise party.

"Okay Henry, go ahead," Emma told him, earnings a huge smile.

It was no secret that everyone was trying to make up for the fact that they had missed his first ten birthdays. The pile of gifts was definitely much larger than it had ever been on his past birthdays, but he wasn't complaining.

He tore through the wrapping paper with such excitement that he was surprised that he didn't get a paper cut. He loved every gift that he received, but his favorite was a set of wooden swords and shields. He couldn't have masked his elation over those new toys if he had tried.

After the gifts had been opened he individually hugged each of his family members. So far this had been the best birthday that he had ever had. He loved being with his family more than anything in the world.

Emma pulled him aside after he had finished opening his gifts. "There is one present left," she said with a huge smile.

He looked around. "Where?" he asked, not able to believe that he had missed something.

Emma laughed. "It's not here. It is way too big to be wrapped. Go get cleaned up and I'll take you to go see it."

With that Henry bounded up the stairs to get changed. Emma helped her parents clean up the living room and the kitchen as she waited for her son. When he was ready to go, she grabbed her keys and grabbed his hand.

She had wanted to show him how much she loved him. She knew that maybe this gift was a little overboard, but she didn't care. She had missed ten birthdays, and she was going to make this one special for her son.

* * *

Regina sat on Henry's bed. She stared at the wall, trying not to think. Today was her son's birthday, and she wasn't even going to get to see him.

She had been trying to get in touch with him, but nothing worked. She didn't want to use magic against him. She couldn't do that. She would hurt anyone else, but not him. Unfortunately, getting her son back was not the easiest of ventures. He was always surrounded by his 'family', and she knew that it would be nearly impossible to get him alone. She had pretty much run out of ideas. She didn't know what else she could do. She had grown desperate. She not only wanted her son back, but she needed him back. She needed him to come home. She had already lost Daniel, and she couldn't lose someone else that she loved.

She rose and walked down the hall to her study. She pulled a spell book from a shelf and flipped through it. A spell caught her eye, and she read through it carefully. Her lips curved into a small smile.

She was desperate. She had vowed not to use magic when it came to Henry, but she had no other choice. She would do anything to get him back.

* * *

Emma tied a handkerchief over Henry's eyes.

"Is this really necessary?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she said with a smirk, even though he couldn't see it.

She grabbed his hand and guided him as they walked towards his present. Emma couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he saw it.

Once they arrived Emma stepped behind him and began to loosen the knot. "This is for you, Henry," she stated as she removed his blindfold.

Henry's jaw dropped as he took in the sight of his castle. He pinched himself multiple times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't believe it was actually there. He had been crushed when it was destroyed. It was his and Emma's special place. And now it was back.

He threw his arms around his mother. "Thank you so much! This is the best present ever!"

Emma knelt down so that she was looking right into his eyes. "I love you Henry."

"I love you too, Mom."

He hugged her once more, then ran over to climb on his castle. He still wasn't sure if he believe that it was real.

"How did you bring it back?" he asked her.

She moved and sat down next to the slide. She gave a little shrug. "I called in some favors."

* * *

_ABOUT TWO WEEKS EARLIER_

_Emma knocked on Gepetto's door. It took the old man a moment to open it. He smiled when he saw her._

_"Emma. How wonderful to see you. I'm sorry, but my son isn't here."_

_She was a little surprised that he just assumed that she was here to see August. But she was also a little disappointed. She would not have minded it if she had run into the puppet. But that was beside the point._

_"Actually, I'm here to see you. I need you to build something for me." She handed him a photograph of Henry's castle before it had been destroyed._

_He looked at it for a moment. "It won't be easy, but I can do it."_

_"I need it done by June fifteenth."_

_He shook his head. "Not possible. Something this big takes a lot of time."_

_She sighed. She really didn't want to play this card. "Okay, four words. Snow's. Spot. In. Wardrobe."_

_He was silent for a moment, and then nodded. "It will be done by then, I promise."_

* * *

Emma had been decorating the apartment for most of the afternoon, and Snow had been frosting Henry's cake for a solid hour.

Emma finished hanging a banner, then walked into the kitchen to join her mother. "You know we are just going to eat that," she said.

"Excuse me for wanting it to be perfect," Snow replied, shooting a smirk at her daughter.

Emma leaned against the counter. "Whose idea was it to throw a party? I'm already ready for this to be over."

Snow laughed. "Henry would have been fine with just a small family party, you know."

"I do, it's just that I wanted to make his birthday a big deal. Every kid deserves that."

Snow paused and looked up at her daughter. She had a feeling that there was a deeper reason as to why Emma had wanted to throw this party, but she decided not to ask. "Finished," she said. Emma looked over at the cake and beamed.

"It looks great. Henry's going to love it," she told her. "Now come on. We have to finish decorating and you have not helped at all," Emma teased.

"Hey! You wouldn't have a cake if it wasn't for me!"

As they finished decorating, the guests started to arrive. All of the dwarves were there, as was Granny and Red. Emma had been a little surprised to see August and Riley arrive together, as she hadn't thought that they were on such good terms. She had not been disappointed at all to see him, and she had to constantly remind herself not to flirt with him. Among the other guests were Hansel and Gretel, Jiminy, the Blue Fairy, and some of Snow and James's other friends. It had been hard putting together a guest list, as Henry didn't have many friends.

Emma kept her eye on the clock, and soon she was telling everyone to hide. James had taken Henry out for his first sword fighting lesson, and they were due back any minute. The lights were all off and everyone was silent.

"Maybe next time we can use real swords!" they heard Henry exclaim from the hall.

James laughed. "Not just yet Henry." They heard the sound of his key turning in the lock, and the door opened. Henry walked in first and flipped the light on.

"SURPRISE!" everyone yelled as the room flooded with light. Henry broke into the biggest smile Emma had ever seen, and he turned to his mother.

"Is this all for me?"

She chuckled. "Of course it's for you! Happy Birthday Henry," she said as she pulled him into a huge hug.

Henry immediately went and started to mingle with the guests. It seemed as if everyone wanted to talk to the birthday boy. He was a very popular kid now, mainly because he had been right about the curse all along. Every time Emma walked by him, he was usually telling someone how he had figured out their true identity.

Emma found August standing a little ways away from the main crowd of people. She immediately joined him.

"Hey," she said.

He smiled. "Hi. Great party."

"You seem to be enjoying it," she added with a small smirk.

"I am. It's just that the last time I saw these people I was seven. They don't see me as an adult. They see me as that little boy."

"I see you as an adult," Emma told him, flashing him a smile.

"I know you do."

"So, I couldn't help but notice that you and Riley came together."

He nodded. "We have been spending a lot of time together lately. We aren't where I want to be, but we are getting there, if you know what I mean."

"I do. I think that's great, August."

He smiled. "I do too."

Henry ran up to them. "Hi Pinocchio!"

"Hey Henry, Happy Birthday."

"Thanks!" He turned to Emma. "Mom, can I open my presents now?"

She nodded. "Whatever you want, Birthday Boy."

"Yes!" Henry exclaimed as he ran into the living room, causing Emma and August to both laugh. She began to follow her son when August caught her attention.

"Hey Emma."

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing next Saturday?"

"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I would really like it if you would have drinks with me." He flashed her one of his signature smiles.

She smiled back. "I'll have to see."

"Come on, what do you have to lose? You know that it will be fun..."

"Can you guarantee that?" she asked.

"Well you will get to have drinks with me, so yes, I can guarantee that."

The sound of someone snorting caused Emma to turn around. Riley sat at the table, not even trying to hide the amused look on her face.

"Look, I have an eleven year old who is dying to open his presents. I'll talk to you later."

"Wait! What's your answer?"

Emma grinned. "I'll have to think about it," she said as she walked away. She wanted to, but she had to play this slow. She was not ready to jump into a relationship, or whatever this was.

August shook his head and Emma walked to the living room. Riley rose and moved to stand next to him.

"I thought that you weren't going to ask her out," she stated. She didn't even bother trying to hide the smirk on her face.

August turned to her. "I wasn't. It's just two friends getting drinks together."

She rolled her eyes. "That is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard. Just admit that you like her and we can stop playing this stupid game, because it is getting a little old."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you care so much?"

"It interests me," she responded.

"I will never understand you."

She shrugged. "I wasn't expecting you too," she added with a smile as she left to go join the party.

* * *

All the guests had left and Henry was passed out on the sofa. Emma wasn't surprised. He had had a busy day. And so had she. She felt like she could sleep for a week.

She walked over to Henry and leaned forward to pick him up.

James stepped forward. "I'll get him Emma," he said as he scooped the boy up.

Emma smiled. "Thanks." She appreciated it. She didn't think that she could make it up the stairs carrying an eleven year old. She moved a few things off the couch and sat down.

Snow walked into the living room. "Tired?" she asked.

"Not at all," Emma replied earning a small laugh from Snow. She took a seat next to her daughter.

"How about next year we just have a family party?"

"Sounds like a plan." Emma sighed as she laid her head on Snow's shoulder. Snow wrapped her arm around Emma, pulling her close. "You know, I've been meaning to thank you," Emma said after a moment of silence.

Snow furrowed her brow. "For what?"

"I talked to James last night. And he had no idea that my nightmares were about Henry's father. And no, we are not talking about that tonight," Emma added.

"Fine," Snow sighed, "but I'm not sure I understand what you mean..."

"You didn't tell him what I told you."

"Did you expect me to?"

Emma nodded. "I figured you guys were the type of people who share everything."

"We are, but you told me that in confidence Emma. I wouldn't betray your trust like that. That information is not mine to tell."

Emma shifted so she could look Snow in the eye. "You know, I always thought that Mary Margaret was the most trustworthy person I have ever met. But I was wrong. You are."

Snow smiled. "You were half right."

Emma laughed. "Trusting people isn't something I usually do. I'm not too good at it. But I want you to know that I do trust you. I feel like I can be open with you. I'm not ready to be an open book just yet, but I want to get there someday."

Snow reached up and touched Emma's cheek. "I hope we can get there someday too. I want to know you Emma. I want you to be able to trust me, and I want you to be open with me."

Emma bit her lip. She wanted to open up to her mother before she chickened out. "After the curse broke, I was really sad for a while," she blurted out.

"Why?"

"Because my best friend was gone. I haven't had anyone there for me, and Mary Margaret was the first person who cared about me. I told her once that I considered her family. She was one of the few people I have ever opened up too. She was my second favorite person in the world, mainly because it would take a lot to beat Henry." Emma chuckled, then took a deep breath. "When the curse broke, I thought I had lost her. But I didn't. I have been so consumed with missing Mary Margaret that I didn't even notice that she never left. She is still here. And better yet, she is my mother. And nothing could make me happier."

Snow was speechless. She felt tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't wipe them away. Instead she placed her palms on Emma's cheeks.

"Oh Emma," she said. Emma threw her arms around Snow, pulling her into a hug.

"I do love you. Even though I don't always show it."

"I know sweetheart. I love you too."

"Mom."

Snow beamed. She loved the sound of that word. "Yes?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to say it."

**I know this chapter was mainly fluff, but who doesn't love fluff? I know we didnt see much of Regina, but she is up to something, and we will find out what that is VERY soon I promise. Also, now that Emma completely trusts Snow, she might open up a little more...;) Plus, August and Emma have a date coming up, and I wonder how that will go...(I already know).**

**I think that Riley ships Emma and August more than I do...**

**Hope you guys enjoyed, and I promise to update as soon as I can! **

**Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! I'm really excited about this chapter, as I had so much fun writing it! Hope you enjoy!**

**As usual, here's a shoutout to my AMAZING beta, ladywolf101**

Jefferson walked down the street at a brisk pace. His eyes darted everywhere, looking for members of the Charming family or Regina. He couldn't risk seeing any of them. They all wanted his head, and he knew it. He could see the pawn shop in the distance, and he hurried to get there. Just before he reached the doors he felt someone grasp his arm. His body jerked as he was pulled into an alley. He was slammed up against a wall, and he gasped as an arm was pressed against his throat, almost cutting off his airways. He looked down into the eyes of his attacker.

"What...do...you...want?" he choked out.

"Shut up. What are you doing in town?"

"Rump...le...stilt...skin."

"What business do you have with him?"

He shook his head. More pressure was put on his throat, causing him to struggle for breath.

"Don't make me ask you again."

"Need...magic."

"Are you still working for Regina?"

He shook his head. "We...are...done."

"What do you need magic for?"

"Protect...my...daughter." He could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"From what?"

"Re...gin...a."

The arm was removed from his throat. He coughed and gasped for breath. His attacker kept a firm grip on his arm.

"Don't show your face here again. Too many people want you dead, and that can't happen. You're too valuable. You may be a pain that causes way too many problems for his own good, plus you have questionable methods, but you're useful. You're the only hatter in town, and you may be needed one day. Get that through your head."

The attacker pushed him away and walked down the alley.

"Hey!" he called, his voice still raspy. "Why do you care so much about what happens to me? You didn't seem to care before when you nearly beat me too death."

Riley smiled. "You don't need to worry about me. And the key word is 'nearly'. I could have killed you, but I didn't. Because I knew that you might come in handy one day." She continued down the alley. "Until next time, Jefferson," she threw over her shoulder as she turned the corner.

He watched her walk away with a glare on his face. He hated that girl, and he didn't even know who she was. The first time he saw her she had attacked him. He didn't know her name, where she was from, or anything for that matter. And that bothered him. He had spent twenty-eight years watching the people of this town, and he felt like he knew everyone. This girl just brought uncertainty. Plus the fact that she dominated him physically, and he was not in bad shape, truly concerned him. And now apparently she had knowledge of the curse, and his own past. It seemed like she became more dangerous by the minute. But even though he despised her, he knew that she had sided with the Charmings. That must mean that she was one of the good guys. But he was still cautious. He had been fooled in the past, and he would not let this girl get the best of him. He straightened his coat and collected his breath. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked into the pawn shop.

It was dark and gloomy inside, and various trinkets lined the walls. Jefferson had never been inside this shop before. He had hardly left his house before the curse was broken, and now he was too busy hiding from his new enemies to come and visit his old acquaintance.

A bell had chimed when he had entered, and he could hear someone moving around in the back. He waited patiently until a woman entered the front of the shop. He recognized her immediately, as he had freed her just weeks ago. He could tell that she recognized him as well, as her face lit up in delight.

"You!" she exclaimed. She turned around and headed to the back of the shop. "Rumple!" she called. "It's him! The man who set me free!"

"Really darling? I would very much like to meet him." Rumplestiltskin emerged from the back of the shop, linking arms with Belle. The second that he set eyes on Jefferson, his face fell. "You're the one who freed her?" he asked.

Jefferson smiled. "It was my pleasure."

"I'm sorry, but do you two know each other?" Belle questioned, her brow furrowed.

Rumplestiltskin turned to her and smiled. "Jefferson and I are old...business associates Belle. Now darling, why do you go finish inventory? I have some things to discuss with him."

She nodded, then placed a small peck on Rumple's cheek. "Don't take too long." The two men waited for her to disappear into the office.

Rumplestiltskin turned to Jefferson. "What do you want, Hatter?"

"Isn't it wonderful, being reunited with the one you love?"

"I suspect that you feel like I owe you now?"

Jefferson shrugged. "A simple favor, really."

Rumplestiltskin shook his head. He leaned close to the other man. "You will get nothing from me. Our business days are over. I don't need you anymore. Now why don't you get out of my shop, and never come here again."

Jefferson grinned. "Not happening. You see, back home, when I brought you a valuable object, you always paid me for my troubles. And now, I've brought you a VERY valuable object, and I expect something in return."

Rumplestiltskin reached out and grabbed the Hatter around the throat. His eyes grew dark and his teeth were clenched. "Belle. Is. Not. An. Object." He shoved Jefferson away from him. The Hatter's hand flew instantly to his neck as he gasped for breath. He didn't know if could take being choked anymore.

"My...mistake," he said through coughs. "I still expect...something in...return," he said as he struggled to regain his breath.

The other man rolled his eyes. "You can have all the gold you want, just get out of my shop."

"I don't want gold. I want magic."

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "You expect me just to give you magic? Whatever for?"

"I need to protect my daughter. It isn't safe her anymore. I need you to make me a barrier spell that I can put around my house."

"I can make you a spell, but it won't work. You need to enact it yourself."

Jefferson cursed under his breath. "Then I have to leave town."

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "And how are you going to do that? You know that we can't cross the town borders."

"I wasn't talking about that. There is another way to leave this place," Jefferson stated, causing Rumple to raise his eyebrows.

"And what might that be?"

"I need you to get my hat to work. If it works, I can create a portal to take Grace and me away from this town. I'll be able to go home."

Rumple sighed. "Where is your hat?"

Jefferson smiled. "So you'll do it?"

"Never said that. Bring it to me and I will see what I can do."

Jefferson held out his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you, Rumple."

The other man shook it. "After this we are done Jefferson."

"Agreed," the Hatter said. He turned and walked out the door of the shop.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late," Riley said as she slid into the booth across from Henry. "I got a little sidetracked."

"It's okay," Henry stated, already looking over his menu. His mom had dropped him off at the diner a few minutes ago, as she had some duties to attend to as sheriff, and his grandparents were in a meeting with Thomas and Ella. Riley had agreed to keep an eye on him, as it was no secret that no one wanted him to be wandering around alone.

"What do you know about Jefferson?" Riley asked, catching him off guard. He had never really thought much about that man.

"He's the mad hatter. His daughter Grace used to be in my class. Why?"

"I ran into him today."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he the one who held my mom and my grandma hostage? You know, the one you beat up?"

"Yeah, that's the one. He was headed to the pawn shop. He said he needed magic to protect his daughter from Regina."

"What is he doing here? If my grandpa sees him he's dead for sure."

"That's what I told him," Riley replied. "I told him he needs to be careful. Because Regina is after him too. And he doesn't do us any good if he's dead."

Henry paused. "Why do you care so much about him?"

Riley laughed. "I don't give a crap about him. I'm just thinking about the big picture. He is the only hatter in town, and he might come in handy."

Henry nodded. "Do you think he is on our side?"

"I have no idea," Riley said with a shrug.

Henry sighed. "Sometimes I wish that people would just make it obvious if they were good or evil."

"I agree Henry. Maybe if we lived in a perfect world. But we don't."

* * *

Emma had been working non-stop at the station all day today. She was seriously rethinking her insistence to remain sheriff. She was already tired as it was, and taking on all of this extra work just left her drained. She had already fallen asleep on the job once today, and she didn't know how much longer she could last.

She filled out paperwork as she stifled a yawn. This was definitely the most boring part of the job. She set down her pen and rested her head on her arms. She was just going to take a quick nap, that was all.

The sound of the door opening made her groan. She really couldn't catch a break. She didn't even bother to move as she heard the sound of her office door being opened then closed.

"Tired?" James said, a small smile on his face.

Emma sighed. "Don't wake me."

"Your mother sent me to take over for you. Go on home and get some sleep."

"Have you ever worked in a police station before?" Emma asked as she slowly sat up.

"No. But I've run a kingdom, and I figure it's not very different."

Emma chuckled. "Did you volunteer or did she put you up to this?" she inquired as she raised an eyebrow.

James shrugged. "A little of both. Now go on. I've got it from here."

She stood and stretched, then gave her father a smile. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Emma collected her things and then walked out the door. She had left her car at the apartment, so she had to go home on foot. She didn't mind, as it was a warm, clear night, and she enjoyed the time alone.

She could see the apartment building, and naturally she quickened her pace. She was so excited to collapse on her bed and drift into a, hopefully, dreamless sleep. As she walked down the street, she heard the sound of a motorcycle. She didn't try to stop the little smile that overtook her lips as she heard its passenger dismount and jog up to her.

"Emma," August called.

She turned. "Hey. How have you been?"

"Cut the crap. You cancelled our date again," he said. His voice wasn't angry, but she couldn't help but think that he sounded a little hurt.

"It's not a date. We are just two friends who were planning on getting drinks."

"Call it what you want, but that doesn't change the fact that I know you are avoiding me. It's been almost a month since I asked you out," he stated.

"I'm not avoiding you. I just have a lot on my plate, that all. I've been really busy, and I know it sucks, but it's been hard to make time for you."

"Whatever Emma. I'm done playing these games with you. I know what I want. Let me know when you figure out what you want." He turned on his heel and headed back to his bike.

"Wait." He turned around and faced her once more. "This Saturday, eight sharp. I promise I won't reschedule. And if I do, it will be for a really good reason. Like I'm getting a kidney transplant or something."

"I hope you aren't playing me Swan. I couldn't stand it if you broke my heart."

"I'll be at Granny's on Saturday at eight. You choose if you want to show up or not."

He grinned. "I wouldn't dream of missing our date."

Emma rolled her eyes. "It's not a date, Booth."

"Whatever." He climbed back on his bike and sped off towards Gepetto's house.

Emma cursed under her breath. She had sworn never to let another guy in. But she knew, deep down, that August W. Booth was her weakness. She couldn't explain her attraction to him, and she didn't care to try. She sighed. She knew what she wanted, but she would never say it out loud. She didn't want to jinx herself.

She went home, thoughts of the puppet swirling through her head.

* * *

Regina threw a glass against the wall. It shattered. She really needed to stop doing that.

With a wave of her hand the glass repaired itself and flew back to her. She walked to her bar and made herself a drink. She could barely keep her mind focused on the simple task. She was so angry.

The spell was taking too long to complete. She wanted her son back now. She didn't know if she could wait any longer. But this had to go smoothly.

She had tried and failed too many times. She needed to succeed. At this point, magic was the only thing that could get her son back.

She ran her fingers through her hair. She would try again.

She would be reunited with Henry. She would bring him home. She would be his mother.

Soon.

* * *

"It's not a date. It's just two friends getting together for some drinks," Emma said as she brushed her hair.

"If it isn't a date, then why are have you been getting ready for the last hour?" Snow asked with a smirk.

"I just took a shower! That does not mean anything!"

Snow held up her hands. "If you say so. I just never thought that you were actually attracted to this August guy."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, I never said I was attracted to him. Like I said, we are just two friends who are getting drinks. And when did I ever make you think I was attracted him? I specifically remember many times where I told you that I was annoyed with him."

"And I remember many times when I saw right through that little act of yours, but I chose not to say anything."

Emma glared at Snow. "Why are you always so involved in my love life?"

"So you are admitting it is a love life?" Snow said with a small laugh.

"No, I just-oh never mind!"

"I'm assuming that you are admitting to it." Emma rolled her eyes, causing Snow to chuckle. "Hey, I think it's great that you're dating. I'm just sad that there aren't any good bachelors in this town."

"Okay, one: I'm not dating. I don't know how many times I have to say that. Two: If I wanted to date, which I don't, August would be a very good bachelor."

"If you say so."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm just not that fond of the guy," Snow stated as she folded her arms in front of her chest.

"And why is that? Oh my gosh, please don't tell me that this has to do with the wardrobe thing..."

"What he did was wrong Emma! It split our family apart!" Snow retorted.

"Yeah that sucks but he was just a little boy. And people make mistakes. I've gotten over it and so should you," Emma told her mother.

"I don't know if I can..."

"Oh stop it! You are going to have to at least tolerate him."

"Is that because you're planning on dating him?" Snow questioned with a small smile.

"We. Are. Just. Friends."

"I think you are just saying that to distract from the fact that you have feelings for him."

Emma shook her head. "You are impossible."

"So are you. Where do you think you get it from?" Snow smiled at her daughter. "Now you better get going so you're not late for your date."

"It's not a...oh I give up. I should be home in a few hours." Emma shrugged on her red leatherjacket and slipped on some boots.

"Have a good time, Emma."

Emma smiled. "I'll see you later," she threw over her shoulder as she exited the apartment.

Soon she was walking down the road, headed straight for Granny's. She arrived there within minutes, noting that August wasn't there yet. She slipped into a booth and began to twirl her thumbs as she waited for him. Luckily, that wasn't very long.

"Hey gorgeous."

Emma smirked. "Hey yourself."

"You know, I'm surprised that you didn't blow me off again," August stated as he ran his fingers through his wind-blown hair.

She shrugged. "I needed a drink."

"Plus you wanted to hang out with me," he said as he sat down.

"Why do you say that?"

He smiled. "Because I'm pretty awesome."

"You're too cocky for your own good."

He leaned forward. "I don't see anyone complaining."

She rolled her eyes. "Just go get some drinks before I change my mind about you."

"As you wish, Princess," he whispered with a wink. He was only gone for a minute when he came back with two beverages.

The night was going well. They sat around and talked for about an hour. There were lots of laughs and drinks, and Emma was genuinely enjoying herself. She hadn't had hardly any time lately to just relax and have fun. Plus she did not mind that she got to spend the evening with a very attractive man. She still wasn't going to admit that she had the tiniest crush on him, but it was no secret that he was hot. And charming. And hot.

Emma was laughing at something August had just said. He grinned, obviously pleased that he was able to entertain her.

She sighed. "You know what I would kill for right now?"

"What?"

"A piece of chocolate cake. I haven't had any in forever, and it sounds so good right now."

He smiled. "Go for it. I actually was thinking the same thing. Desserts sound amazing." He waved Red over. "Can the lovely lady and I get two dessert menus please?"

Red nodded and Emma blushed. She had never spent time with a guy that was so obvious with his feelings. She knew that he used to mask it, but now he was so forward about it. Not that she minded, it was just something that she would have to get used to.

Red returned with the menus. They both poured over them, occasionally commenting on different things that looked good. Before too much longer Red had returned to take their orders.

Emma went first. "One slice of chocolate cake. Thanks Red."

August drummed his fingers on the table. "I'm going to have to go with a slice of pumpkin pie."

Immediately Emma's stomach dropped. A memory of a different man flashed through her mind, and she pushed it away.

"Sorry, we are all out of that."

He bit his lip. "I guess apple pie will have to do."

The memory flashed through her head again, although this time it was accompanied by others. She curled her fingers into a fist under the table and she bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn't think about this. Not here, not now. But no matter hard she tried, she couldn't get the flashes to stop. It was painful. In fact, it was overwhelming.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she slid out of the booth. "I have to go."

She flew out the door and took off down the street, leaving a stunned August behind. She heard him run after her, and she could hear him calling her name over and over. But she couldn't stop. She couldn't let him see her at a moment when she was so vulnerable. Tears had started to pool in her eyes, but she didn't care. She just kept pushing forward. Eventually August stopped following her, and she was glad. She didn't want to have to deal with him. After a moment she reached the apartment building. She sped upstairs as she pulled her keys from her pocket. She silently cursed, as she knew that Snow most likely waited up for her. As she slid the key into the lock, she took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. It didn't really work.

She swung the door open and immediately ran to the bathroom, slamming and locking that door behind her. She heard her mother walk through the apartment and knock on the door.

"Emma? Is everything alright?"

She turned the water on to drown out the sound of her crying. She sank to the floor and let the tears freely fall. She had thought that she had gotten over this. But it turns out at it still hurt to this very day.

"Emma, what happened?"

She didn't answer.

"Emma I can hear you in there. Let me in."

"No!"

"Let me in Emma."

"Go away!"

"I'm not going anywhere. In fact, if you don't let me in I'm going to pick this lock and come in myself."

"No you won't. You're too concerned with hurting my feelings," Emma mocked.

"Try me."

Emma scoffed.

"I'm concerned about you Emma! I'm your mother, just talk to me!"

"I don't want to talk to you."

Snow took a deep breath. "I'm sick and tired of playing this game with you. I'm done holding back because I don't want to push you too far. You are my daughter and I want to comfort you. Now let. Me. In."

Emma leaned against the wall. She already knew that she had lost this battle. She shut off the water and slowly moved to the door, clicking the lock open. Snow almost immediately swung the door open. Emma took a seat on the edge of the tub and placed her head in her hands.

"Emma, did something happen with August? Did he...try to...?"

"No! Nothing like that!" she exclaimed. "It was going really well, and then he tried to order a piece of pumpkin pie."

Snow raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you disliked pumpkin pie so much."

"It's the memory that goes with that pie that bothers me."

Snow bit her lip. "Does this have anything to do with that really bad nightmare you had a few weeks ago?"

"Yes."

"Emma, I know that you didn't want to talk about it then, but can you please tell me why this memory bothers you so much?"

She sighed. "You know how everyone has a dirty little secret? A skeleton in their closet, call it whatever you want. Everyone has that dark point in their life that they would do anything to forget. But no matter what you do, it still haunts you. You can't make it go away, and you can't forget. So you try to numb yourself so that it won't hurt you anymore. You start building a wall to keep out the pain. But you build this wall because you don't want anything else to hurt you, because this one thing damaged you beyond repair."

"Emma I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"This memory has been my most guarded secret. I haven't told anyone about it. This is the single most painful memory I have. It has done nothing but hurt me for about twelve years."

Snow sat next to Emma. She reached out and grabbed her daughter's hand. "I'm here for you sweetheart." She offered a comforting smile, but inside her heart was already breaking. She just wanted to take her little girl's pain away.

"If I tell you this, you have to swear not to tell anyone else. Not even James."

"I promise."

"Okay. Well I guess I might as well tell you everything."

"Whatever you want."

Emma leaned against her mother. She was going to need Snow. She knew that she couldn't relive this painful memory without the support and comfort of her mom.

"This story is about Henry's father..."

**Don't hate me for that cliffhanger...**

**Next chapter is going to be just a flashback. It's my version of the events to do with Henry's father. I already have most of it written, so it should be posted really soon. Warning: It does deal with some sensitive topics. I put a T rating from the beginning because I wanted to include these plot lines. Just a heads up :)**

**And I know we didn't get to see much of Regina, but I can promise that you will find out what she is up to VERY soon...**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Please review! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! How did you like the cliffhanger from last chapter? I'm super excited to post this, as I have had it written for about a month. **

**Warning: This story is rated T for a reason. There are some adult themes in this chapter. Don't worry, nothing graphic. **

**Also, this chapter is NOT canon...it's my own version of Henry's father. **

**As always, thanks to my awesome beta ladywolf101!**

**Enjoy! **

_Emma was sick and tired of working in a diner. But it was the only job that she could get, and she was in desperate need of money. Just yesterday she had been kicked out of her apartment because she couldn't make rent. She had been crashing in her beat up car for the past few days, mainly because it was the only place that she could afford to stay in. She knew that it was going to be hard to leave the system and be out on her own, but she never thought that she would be homeless. At the end of the day, she didn't care. She was free, and that's one thing that she had always wanted._

_"Excuse me? I would like to order," a man said._

_Emma pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. "What do you want?"_

_"A slice of pumpkin pie."_

_"Sorry. We don't have that here."_

_The man cursed under his breath and looked back at his menu. "I guess apple pie will have to do."_

_"Coming right up."_

_She walked to the kitchen and gave the other staff the order. She went and started bussing some of the other tables while she was waiting for the pie. There weren't very many customers, as business had been pretty slow lately, so she was done within minutes. She leaned against the counter and looked at the man who had wanted pumpkin pie._

_He was cute. She couldn't deny that. She wondered how she had missed it earlier. He had wavy black hair that was longer than most men wore it, but it didn't look shaggy. He had big hazel-green eyes that stood out against his light skin. He was clean-shaven, which revealed a sharp jaw, which Emma found very attractive. She could see the bulges of muscles through his thin black shirt. Emma realized that she was probably gawking, so she retreated back into the kitchen._

_The pie was ready, and she carried it out to him. She told herself not to stare as she set it down in front of him._

_"Let me know if you need something else." She turned and walked away._

_"Miss?" he called. She headed back to the table. "There is something that I need."_

_"Did I forget to give you silverware?"_

_He laughed, revealing a set of straight, white teeth. "No. I need your name."_

_She was a little shocked. "It's Emma," she said, pointing at her name tag._

_"Lovely name. I'm John." He flashed a smile._

_"Nice to meet you." She didn't know if this conversation could get anymore awkward. "Look I better get back to work."_

_"I understand. But listen. Now that we are acquainted with one another, I was wondering if you will have drinks with me after your shift."_

_Emma was going to say no. She barely knew this guy. Plus she wasn't sure if she was ready to start dating yet. But his smile was so gorgeous, and she just couldn't resist._

_"If you don't mind waiting an hour." She flashed a smile of her own._

_"Not at all."_

* * *

"I'd never been asked out before," Emma admitted.

"Never?" Snow asked.

"Nope. No one was ever interested in dating the pathetic orphan before."

* * *

_"Twenty bucks that you can't beat me at pool," John said as they walked through the bar._

_"You're on," she stated with a big smile._

_He had waited up for her while she finished her shift. Then he had taken her to a bar uptown that she had never been to before. It was times like these that she was so glad that she had gotten that fake I.D. Now she didn't have to admit to him that she was only seventeen._

_"Rack them up," he told her, gesturing towards a pool table. "I'm going to go get us some beers."_

_"Sounds like a plan."_

_She had all the balls positioned and was chalking up her stick when he returned. He handed her a beer and she took a big swig of it._

_"Ladies first." John flashed another big smile, which she returned._

_She took her first hit, and the two and the four balls fell into separate pockets. She turned to him and winked. "Get ready to pay up."_

_"Where did you learn to play pool?" he asked as he took his turn._

_"One of my foster families had an old table in their basement. My foster brothers and I used to play all the time."_

_"You were in the system?" Crap. She shouldn't have said anything. She was trying so hard to impress him too._

_"Yeah."_

_"No way, me too!"_

_She turned to him. "You were a foster kid?"_

_"Sure was."_

_"You're kidding," she said._

_He shook his head. "I was in the system for a few years when I was a teenager. I got out about twelve or thirteen years ago when I was sixteen." Emma did the mental math in her head. He was at least ten years older than her. But that didn't bother her at all._

_"I just got out not too long ago myself. I've been in the system since I was born."_

_"Dang that sucks. I hated every minute of it." John finished his beer then started chalking up his stick._

_"You're telling me." Emma sunk another ball. "I'm destroying you," she teased, shooting him a smirk._

_"I think I'm going to be out twenty bucks," he said with an exaggerated sigh. Emma laughed._

_"I would have to agree with that," Emma stated. She took a long drink of her beer. "So John. We've been here a while and you've still failed to tell me why you asked me out in the first place."_

_He smiled. "You're hot," he told her with wink. She chuckled as she rolled her eyes._

_"That's it?"_

_"That's what got my attention. But it turns out that you have a great personality."_

_"Why thank you," Emma said. She beamed. "You aren't too bad yourself."_

_"It's good to know that I didn't mess up the first date."_

* * *

"He was so charming that first time we hung out. He won me over immediately." Emma shook her head. "I don't know how I was so blind."

"It's not your fault. He seems like a decent guy right now."

"Oh you'll hate him, trust me."

"I know that. I can just see how easy he made it for you to fall for him."

"We just had so much in common. I felt like he understood me. I'd never had that before. I'd never had someone who cared about me."

"Well you have that now, you know," Snow said.

"I know."

* * *

_"I guess apple pie will have to do," John said with a smile as he handed her his menu. She winked at him and took his order back to the kitchen._

_Emma had been seeing him for about a month. He came into the diner a few times a week just to see her. He would try to order pumpkin pie each time, but would have to settle for a different flavor._

_Things were going great with John. He was such a nice guy, plus they had so much in common. His mother had died when he was young, but his father had abandoned him, just like Emma's parents had abandoned her. The fact that they shared this, plus the experience of living in the foster system, made it easier for her to connect with him. She felt like he truly understood her._

_He waited for her to finish up her shift. They had fallen into this little routine. As they walked toward his car, hand-in-hand, he turned to her._

_"Emma?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I've been thinking..."_

_"What?"_

_John sighed. "I know that you live in your car."_

_"No I have a place-"_

_He held up his hand. "Don't try to fool me. I've been there Emma. I know a homeless person when I see one."_

_She ripped her hand out of his. "I'm not homeless!"_

_"I'm not judging you Emma! I've been there before, I know what it's like," he told her._

_"Whatever John." Emma turned and began walking away. He ran up to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her to face him. "Let go of me," she spat._

_"Emma I was going to ask if you wanted to stay with me."_

_Her eyes widened. "What?"_

_"I have a spare room. Plus I figured that we get along pretty well. But if you don't want to you don't have to. I get it." He walked away, shoving his hands in his pockets. Emma stared at him, not sure of what to do. She had never had a home before. She was a little afraid of jumping into this. Yeah she liked spending time with John but she didn't love him. She didn't know if she was ready to live with him. But she was tired of sleeping in her car, and she did enjoy his company._

_"John?" she called out. He stopped and looked at her. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."_

_His face broke into a smile. "Is that a yes?"_

_Emma closed the distance between them. She took a risk and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What do you think?" she whispered as she pressed her lips against his. She felt his fingers run through her hair. He pulled her close and kissed her back._

_"What was that for?" he asked._

_"Being amazing," Emma said with a smile._

_"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand. "Let's go home."_

* * *

"Did you move in with him because you loved him, or because you were...homeless?" Snow asked, her voice catching on the last word.

They had moved to sit on the ground. Emma still sat close to her mother, wanting the closeness and comfort that the other woman offered. She sighed and rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Looking back, it was just because I was homeless. I thought he was attractive and I convinced myself that I had real feelings towards him, but I was just trying to justify my actions."

Snow nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Go on," she whispered.

* * *

_John was passed out on the couch when she got home. Empty beer bottles surrounded him and there were crushed cigarettes in his ash tray. He smelt terrible and looked as if he hadn't showered in days._

_Emma walked to her room and shut the door. She collapsed on her bed. All she wanted to do was sleep._

_Things with John had been going pretty well. He was a great roommate and fun to be around, plus she had developed feelings for him. They kissed a lot, and when in public they acted like a couple, but Emma wasn't sure if he felt the same way about her. He never tried to initiate extremely intimate moments, but he was always actively engaged in their make-out sessions. She knew that he would be a great boyfriend, she just wasn't sure that they were at that point yet. But that didn't change that fact that they had become great friends, and that Emma truly enjoyed being his roommate. The past few months had been great. Emma had found a place that she could call home._

_She heard someone moving around in the living room, and she figured that John had woken up. She got up and walked out there to check on him._

_He was in the kitchen with his head in the fridge. She heard him rummaging around._

_"Don't we have anything to drink?"_

_"I'm pretty sure you've drained us John." His head snapped up at the sound of Emma's voice. He had a new cigarette hanging between his lips._

_"Emma! When was the last time I saw you?"_

_Emma sighed. "This morning."_

_He laughed. "It seems like a really long time."_

_She narrowed her eyes. She just now noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. "John, what else have you been doing this afternoon?"_

_"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. He burped and began to laugh again._

_She had been a little taken aback when she had found out about his drug issues. He did a very good job of hiding it when in public, so she had never thought that he had a problem. But after she had moved in with him, she had found out that he was addicted to multiple stimulants and depressants. In fact, that was all he ever did at the house. He would go out and party, then come home and get high. It never really bothered Emma, as she figured it was his life and she had no right to tell him what to do. She had participated at first, but had found out really fast that she didn't like the way it felt. So she had quit and become clean. She tried to get him to quit as well, but he gave up after a few days. She decided to not bother him about it anymore, and instead she just kept taking care of him._

_"Go to bed John," she told him as she closed the fridge. She took his cigarette and put it out. He stumbled to his room and flopped on the bed. She made sure that he was okay before she shut the door and left._

_Sometimes she wondered if this was life that she wanted. But she decided not to question it. It was all she had right now, and she was not ready to let that go. She loved John, or at least she had convinced herself that she did. And she wanted to be with him._

* * *

"Wait, what? You used to date a drug addict?"

"Yeah. It sounds bad, but he really didn't do them that much."

"Stop trying to spare my feelings. I see the truth. Why would you stay with him?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. I had tricked myself into believing that I loved him. That's the only reason I stayed."

Snow sighed. "How long did you do them?"

"I only tried them once or twice, and it wasn't for me."

"You better believe that they weren't for you."

Emma furrowed her brow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing."

"Well can I continue with my story, if that all right with you?"

Snow sighed. She didn't really want to have this conversation anyways. "Keep going."

* * *

_Emma sat in the living room, a book in her hand. She was trying to focus on it, but she just couldn't. She was too worried._

_John hadn't been home in three days. His phone was dead, and she had no other way of getting in contact with him. She had no idea where he was or who he was with. Maher mind automatically jumped to horrible conclusions, but she tried to push them away. She couldn't help but wonder if something horrible had happened._

_She knew that he wouldn't have left. They were on good terms, or at least Emma had thought that they were._

_She was deep in thought when she heard the lock click on the front door. She turned just in time to see John stumble into the apartment. She stood and rushed to him._

_"John! Where have you been? Are you okay?"_

_He reeked. She could smell cigarettes and booze on him, but there were other unidentifiable scents that made her want to puke. His eyes were bloodshot, and one kept twitching. He hadn't shaved in a while, and his stubble was more like a beard. His hair was tangled and greasy. His clothes were wrinkled, and there were some questionable stains on them._

_"Emma," he said. His speech was slightly slurred._

_"John. Where were you? I've been so worried."_

_He shrugged. He shot her a smile. "I missed you Emma." He threw himself at her and crushed his lips against hers. His grip was tight, and she struggled to pull away from him. She could tell that he was still drunk, as he hardly ever came onto her like this._

_After a moment she twisted out of his arms and backed away. "John you're drunk. And probably high."_

_"And why does that matter little lady?"_

_"Because nothing is going to happen while you're like this."_

_His face morphed into a scowl. "I don't like it when you tell me what to do. Sometimes I want to do stuff and you don't let me. I have needs and wants you know."_

_She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"_

_"You've lived here for months and nothing has happened. Well I want it to. I've waited long enough."_

_She didn't recognize this man. This wasn't the sweet and charming man that she had met at the diner all those months ago. This was someone else entirely. She didn't know if he was just drunk, or if he was just showing his true personality for the first time._

_She backed away. "John. Nothing is going to happen. I don't want it to."_

_He cursed. "Well I want it to!" he screamed. "I'm tired of playing these dumb games with you! You're mine Emma! And it's about time that you start doing what I say!"_

_"I don't want to. John, I don't want to," she said firmly. She couldn't show him that was absolutely terrified._

_He took a step towards her. "I'm finally gonna get what I've always wanted, Swan. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."_

_She shook her head. "Stay away from me."_

_"Take off your clothes."_

_"No."_

_"Take off your clothes Emma."_

_"No!"_

_From nowhere he pulled out a gun. She didn't even know that he owned one._

_"I said, take off your clothes. Do it or I'll put a bullet through your head," he spat, his voice menacing._

_Emma realized that she was pressed against the wall. She had no way out. There was nowhere to run or hide. She didn't want to die. But she didn't want to do this._

_He stalked closer to her, his lips curled into a wicked smile. "If you won't, I will." He pressed the cool metal of the gun against her head._

_"Please stop. Don't do this. Please." She wouldn't cry. She couldn't show him that she was weak. She knew that she needed to be strong. But she didn't know what else to do. She had to plead with him, and beg him not to do this to her._

_He reached his hand forward. He slowly brushed his fingers across her neck._

_"Don't touch me!" she yelled._

_He slapped her cheek as hard as he could. Her hand flew to her face. "I can do whatever I want!" he screamed. "Now you have one more chance. You can cooperate with me, or I'll kill you."_

_She glared at him. Tears stung her eyes. "I loved you."_

_He cackled. "Look how well that turned out, baby."_

* * *

Emma brushed away the few tears that had started to fall.

"No," Snow spat. Her fingers were curled into a fist, and her knuckles were white. "That pathetic excuse for a man. How DARE he. How DARE he touch MY daughter. How DARE he do that to you." She had started to shake with anger. Tears were streaming down her face.

Emma placed her hand on her mother's arm. "Snow?"

The sound of her daughter's voice brought her out of her rage. She looked down at Emma and placed her hand on her cheek. She brushed away the tears that had started to fall. "Oh my sweet baby," she whispered. She gathered Emma in her arms. She felt her daughter shake as she silently cried. She didn't try to stop the tears from running down her face. "I've got you sweetheart. No one is ever going to hurt you again. I'll protect you."

* * *

_She was curled up in a ball on the floor. She shivered, even though it wasn't cold in the apartment. She was covered in bruises and blood, and her body ached. She had run out of tears, and her voice was hoarse from screaming and begging him to stop._  
_She still couldn't believe what had just happened. She had trusted John. She had even loved him. And he had betrayed her._

_She struggled to her feet. By some miracle, she made it to her room and collapsed on her bed. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain. She hurt more than words could describe. John had hurt her physically, but he had practically killed her emotionally. She vowed to never let anyone hurt her again. In that moment, she put up her first wall. And she never wanted to take it down._

* * *

Snow continued to hold Emma as she shook with sobs. She could see how much it hurt her daughter to relive this. It was miserable seeing Emma in so much pain. She hated this man with everything she was. He had hurt her little girl. And that was unforgivable in her eyes.

She traced circles on Emma's back as she whispered loving words. There wasn't anything else she could do. She couldn't erase this pain. She wished she could, but all she could do was be there for her daughter. And that was exactly what she was going to do. She would never leave her again.

* * *

_Emma drove through the night. She had left as soon as she could, and she hadn't looked back. Getting away from John had been the only thing on her mind._

_She could feel her eyes starting to droop, so she pulled into a small motel. She checked in and promptly went to her room. It was pretty run down and smelled funny, but she didn't care. She collapsed on the bed and fell into a dreamless sleep._

* * *

"I didn't stay another night. I had to get out of there. I just couldn't..."

"I know. I'm glad you left. If he had hurt you again-"

"He did," she whispered. "Just not in the same way..."

* * *

_She woke up to the sound of someone banging on the door. She slowly sat up and slipped her glasses on. She was still a little drowsy, and wasn't really sure what was going on._

_"Open up!" she heard someone yell from the other side of the door. She was a little taken aback at the viciousness in their voice. She walked across the room and opened the door._

_Immediately she held her hands up. Four police officers were pointing guns at her. She backed into the room as they stepped closer to her._

_"Do you have any weapons on you?" one of them growled._

_She shook her head. "No officer."_

_One of them lowered their gun. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to make sure." She nodded as he walked towards her. She tried not to flinch as he quickly patted her down. She hadn't wanted a man to touch her anytime soon._

_"Hands behind your back," he said as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Do you know your rights?"_

_She nodded._

_"That's a good girl," he said as he clipped the metal bracelets on her wrists. The other officers had started poking around the hotel room._

_"Officer, what am I being arrested for?"_

_"Well, someone called in a tip this morning saying that you were in possession of some illegal substances. They even gave a license plate number. We came and searched your car and found about a pound of marijuana and a various stimulants and depressants. We also heard that you were armed, and there was a gun found in your car."_

_John. She knew that he had put all that stuff in her car, and that it was him who had made that call. He wanted her in jail. She had never thought that he would be able to ruin her life even more than he already had, but she was wrong. John didn't care what happened to her, and he never would._

_Emma shook her head. "None of that stuff is mine, I swear. I'm being set up!"_

_"Possession is nine tenths of the law Miss Swan. Now I'm afraid that I'll be taking you into custody."_

_"What is going to happen to me?" she asked._

_"Jail time."_

_The officers led her out to the squad cars. She climbed into the back of one. As the police pulled away and headed towards the station, she started to cry. They were silent tears, and she didn't think that the officers even noticed. She couldn't believe what was happening to her. She had just started to turn her life around, and now she was being arrested._

_There was one person to blame for all of this. Before she met him, her life was hard, but she was in control of it. Now she had no idea what was to become of her. He had ruined her life. And she hated him for it._

_John. The name was like poison in her mouth._

* * *

"That's how you ended up in jail?" Snow asked. "You didn't even do anything wrong! He set you up!"

"I know. But no one has ever believed me."

"That's not fair. Why would he do something like that to you?"

Emma sighed. "He didn't want to lose me. He had finally got what he wanted, and he didn't want to give that up."

* * *

_She leaned against the wall of her cell, lost in her thoughts. She had been in her for a little over a month, and each day seemed longer and longer. She couldn't wait to get out. She knew that she was innocent. She didn't deserve this, not after what John had done to her. She didn't talk to any of the inmates, or rather, they didn't talk to her. She was lonely all the time. Then again, she had always been alone. And she figured that she always would be. Besides, she must be worthless if her own parents left her on the side of a freeway. Your mom and dad were supposed to be the two people that loved you unconditionally, but her parents had thought that she was garbage. Maybe she was. No man would ever want to be with her after she had been defiled. She wouldn't ever have a family, but what else was new. She was going to be alone for the rest of her life. But maybe she wouldn't be..._

_The guard rattled the door. "Swan. Your request." The woman held out a crinkled brown sack. Emma reached through the bars and grabbed it. She dumped out its content onto her bed. She stared at the box for a moment before tearing it open. She couldn't think about it._

_Minutes later, she twirled the object between her fingers. She didn't know what answer she wanted. It seemed like an eternity before the results finally showed._

_A little pink plus sign._

_She was pregnant._

_She stared at the little symbol, not quite sure what to think._

_She was going to be a mother. She was going to have a baby. And not just any baby, but John's baby. She was scared out of her mind. There was no way that she could do this. She could barely take care of herself, and a baby would just be too much of a responsibility. Besides, she was going to be in here for at least ten more months. Which meant that her baby was going to be born behind bars. Great. She sure was mother of the year. Not like that mattered, because she wasn't going to raise it. She didn't want it. She hadn't wanted John to defile her, but he had and now there was a baby as the result. She had never chosen to get pregnant. She had never wanted this thing growing inside her. But something in her had changed. No matter what, this was her son or daughter, and she loved him or her. She wanted to be its mother more than anything in the world. She wanted to teach it how to walk and talk and ride a bike. She wanted her baby more than anything she had ever wanted before. But she couldn't have it. She couldn't take care of it. It hadn't even come into the world yet and it already had a crummy life. She wanted the best for her baby. She wanted her son or daughter to have his or her best chance._

_She knew what she would have to do. And it broke her heart._

_She would have to put her baby up for adoption._

* * *

Emma had started sobbing again. "I didn't even get to get excited about Henry. I knew from the start that I wouldn't play any part in his life. I wanted him so much."

"I know, Emma. I know how it feels. It hurts so much." Snow ran her fingers through Emma's hair.

* * *

_Emma had been abused physically and verbally her entire life. She had dealt with all types of pain. She had experienced all types of horrors. But nothing even compared to how much it hurt to give her son away._

_She had loved him the moment she found out that he existed. By the second that he was placed in her arms she knew that she could never love anything as much as she loved him. There were not words to describe how she felt about her son. He was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. He had thick hair and blue eyes that already looked like they were changing to green. He was seven pounds and six ounces, a very healthy weight. He was absolutely perfect in every way._

_Handing him over to the nurse had shattered her heart. In that moment, she had known that she would never see her perfect little boy again. He was gone, and she wasn't going to get to raise him. She knew that she had made this choice for him, as she wanted him to have the best life that he could, but she regretted it the moment he left her arms. She wanted him more than life itself._

_She had cried herself to sleep that night. And for the next few weeks. She couldn't get that little boy out of her head. He was all that she could think about. And it hurt so much. She decided to add bricks to the wall she had already put up. The wall that her son had knocked down in an instant. She made the choice to lock away all emotions she had towards her little boy. She would try to forget about him. She knew that that was impossible, but she would bury all thoughts of him in the back of her mind. She would move on with her life. She had given him his best chance, and now it was her turn to get her life back on track._

_It was hard to move past giving her child away, but she managed to do it. But every day she was filled with a deep hatred for one man. One man who had taken everything from her. He had treated her like garbage. He had dirtied her and then tossed her away. He had framed her and caused her to be thrown in jail. His actions had caused her to have to do the most painful thing in the world. It was his fault that she had to give her son away. And she hated him for it._

_She hated John._

**Don't hate me...I know that was an emotional and kinda dark chapter...**

**Okay, I just started the next chapter, and I can tell you two things...**

**1) We will find out what Regina is up to...**

**2) There will be a cliffhanger...**

**So the semester is almost over, which is bittersweet. Over Christmas break I plan to get a ton of writing done, which is great for the progression of the story. The bad thing is that finals are coming up, so my attention will have to be elsewhere. As much as I don't like it, updates might be a little slower for the next few weeks. My goal is a chapter a week though.**

**As usual, thank you so much for reading! **

**Please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you to everyone who responded to the last chapter!**

**Thank you so much ladywolf101 for being an amazing beta!**

**I really loved writing this chapter by the way, so enjoy!**

They sat on the floor in silence for a few moments. Emma had just finished her story, and she clung to Snow. She had never wanted to revisit those memories, and it had hurt. She still couldn't believe that she had actually opened up, but she had to admit that it felt good. She didn't like talking about something that was so traumatic, but being open and extremely personal with her mother had made her feel safe. It had made her feel at home. And that was a feeling that she had been searching for her whole life.

Snow held Emma. Her daughter had stopped sobbing, but she continued to shake. She didn't know if she wanted to cry or kill someone, specifically, John. She could not begin to describe the hate that she felt for that man. He had hurt her daughter in ways that she never would have imagined. She had known Emma for almost a year, and she had never thought that something so horrible could have happened in her daughter's life. She knew that Emma had been faced with hardships, but the blonde never acted as if she had been hurt to this extent. Snow wished that she could make it all go away. But she couldn't. All she could do wish sit here with her daughter and comfort her.

Emma whimpered. The sound broke Snow's heart. She held her even closer, if that was possible. She traced circles on Emma's back with one hand and gently ran her fingers to the blonde locks with the other. "I've got you Emma. I'll protect you," she whispered. "You don't have to worry anymore. I'm here." She felt her own tears start to fall and she quickly wiped them away. She had to be strong for Emma. "Momma's got you," she breathed, barely loud enough for Emma to hear. She didn't know how Emma would feel about her choice of words, but she didn't care. She waited for Emma to pull away, but the moment never came. Instead, she felt Emma start to cry once more. She automatically thought that it was because of her, and she silently cursed herself for being so pushy.

When Emma was little, she had always wanted her mom. But unlike the other kids, hers never came when she cried for her. As soon as she heard those three words escape Snow's lips, she broke down. That was all she had ever wished for. The only thing that she wanted growing up was a mother, and one that loved her. And now she had it. She couldn't believe that all this was true. In fact, she wondered if this was too good to be true. She didn't try to stop the tears from falling. She felt Snow tense up, but she just hugged her mother tighter. "I know," was all she could say. But she knew that Snow understood what she meant. She knew that her mother knew how much Emma loved her.

Emma pulled back after some time. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, and she looked absolutely dreadful. Snow reached forward and wiped her daughter's tears away. Emma smiled, and her mother returned the gesture.

"Thank you."

"There's no place I would rather be," Snow said as she tucked a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear.

"Don't say things like that."

"I beg your pardon?"

Emma sighed. "You're just going to end up leaving. Everyone else does."

Snow shook her head. "How can you still think that? After everything that I've done for you Emma. How can you not see how much I love you?"

"Yeah but you're not going to stick around. How can you want a daughter who has been defiled, and who is trash on the side of the road? I'm a disappointment, and I'm pathetic. No one's ever wanted me before. I'm unlovable." Emma looked down at her hands and began twirling her thumbs.

"Do not EVER say that to me again." Snow placed her fingers on Emma's chin and lifted the blonde's face so that they were making eye contact. "You are lovable Emma Swan. You are wanted. I love you Emma. I need you to know that."

"You've told me plenty of times."

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you don't believe me. I need you to know that I'm telling the truth when I say that to you. I need you to truly understand how much I love you. I would do anything for you Emma. I have loved you since the moment I knew you existed. I have loved you since I first held you in my arms. I have loved you since the moment I had to give you away." Snow couldn't stop the tears that were now streaming down her face. She took a deep breath and continued. "I have loved you from the first moment you came to Storybrooke. I may not have realized it at the time, but I did. I have loved you since the moment you moved into this apartment. I have loved you every hour of every day that you've lived here. Before the curse broke I thought that that was just because you were my best, and pretty much only, friend. But it was because deep down I knew that you were my baby girl. The first thought I had when my memory was returned was about you. The first thing I thought about was how much I loved you, and how proud I was of you. Emma, I have always loved you. And guess what? I always will. Because I'm your mother, and you will always be my daughter. Do not, even for a second, think that you are not worthy of that love, because you are. I haven't had the chance over the last twenty-eight years to tell you how much I truly love you. And now that we are together, I'm not ever going to let you forget it. I love you, Emma."

Emma bit her lip. Snow could tell that she was deep in thought.

"I know that I've said it before. I've said it because I would have felt weird not saying it back to you. But that doesn't mean that I haven't meant it, because I have. I need you to know how I feel about you." Emma took a deep breath. "I never had a true home growing up. I never felt like I belonged. But then I moved here, and I found a home. I found that safe haven that I have always looked for. I always thought that it was because Henry was here, and that's part of it, but I have recently realized that it was you that made me feel safe. You are home for me. You were the first person that I've ever considered family. You were the first person who I knew had my back no matter what. I'm always afraid that you will leave. Because everyone I've ever cared for has, but it would hurt the worst if you left me. I know I keep rambling but I just want you to know that you have been knocking downs my walls since I met you. And that's because no matter how hard I tried to keep you out, you wormed your way into my heart. And, you know, there is no one else that I would want to be my mother. Because I love you too, Mom."

Snow smiled and pulled Emma into another hug. They both were crying, but they both had huge smiles on their faces.

Emma pulled away. "I'm out of tears," she stated, causing Snow to chuckle.

"Same here. How about we go into the living room and I'll make some hot chocolate?"

"That sounds wonderful." Emma stood and followed her mother into the kitchen, knowing that in this moment, she had the life that she had always wanted.

* * *

Regina smiled as she held a vial in front of her face. Dark green liquid swirled in it. She had succeeded. Many days of hard work had finally paid off.

She called two of her guards into her office. They both stood before her, fear in their eyes. She enjoyed that. She liked knowing that people were afraid of her power.

"I've called you two here for one reason: to get my son back. The Blue Fairy has cast an enchantment on the home of the Charmings. I can't enter and neither can any of my knights. But, there is a way around this enchantment. While none of us can enter, they are free to leave. Which brings me to the task at hand. Your job is to lure my son away from the apartment. Once he is out, you are to bring him to me. Simple enough."

"Your Majesty, if I may," one knight said, slightly bowing. She nodded. "The boy doesn't trust us. How are we to lure him away?"

"I had the same concern myself when I thought up this plan." She held up the vial, making sure to wave it in front of each of their faces. "This potion will shape shift anyone who drinks it. Under the potion, the drinker can choose any form that they wish. Tomorrow at sundown each of you will drink this potion and transform into an image of someone that Henry trusts."

She walked to her desk and pulled out two photographs, handing them to each of the knights. The men stared at the pictures for a few moments.

"Who are these children?" one asked.

"Hansel and Gretel."

* * *

James hadn't slept a wink. When he and Henry had gotten home last night he had heard Snow and Emma talking in the bathroom. He had decided not to interrupt, and had taken Henry to bed. Once the boy had fallen asleep, he had wandered down to his own room in an attempt to get some rest. But sleep wasn't an option. He could hear their muffled conversation through the walls of the bedroom. He respected their privacy and didn't eavesdrop, and besides, he couldn't make out any words. But for a while all he heard was constant sobbing. He couldn't tell who the cries belonged to, but he had a good feeling that the sounds came from both his wife and his daughter. It broke his heart, and he desperately wished to help, but he knew that he couldn't. He just wasn't as close to Emma as Snow was, and he knew that his daughter wasn't ready to share her deepest darkest secrets with him.

He almost drifted off after a while but was drawn out of his near slumber by the sound of the two women leaving the bathroom and walking to the kitchen. They were most likely getting hot chocolate, as it was no secret that it was his family's favorite drink. He didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually the sounds coming from the living room died. He couldn't resist an opportunity to check on them, so he quietly climbed out of bed and tiptoed outside of his room.

Two drained mugs sat on the coffee table. Emma was curled up in a ball on the couch, a blanket wrapped around her. Snow had fallen asleep sitting up with her knees pulled to her chest. Emma's head rested on a pillow that was pushed against Snow's legs, and Snow's fingers rested next to Emma's head. James could tell that Snow had been running her fingers through Emma's hair when they both had fallen asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of his wife and daughter next to each other, obviously bonding. He saw Snow shiver slightly and grabbed a blanket, draping it over her.

The action caused Snow to stir and he immediately cursed himself. He turned and slowly made his way back into his room.

"James?" Snow asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Is that you?" He retreated back into the living room.

"Yeah," he said. She stood and stretched and walked towards him.

"What are you still doing up?" she questioned through a yawn. He noticed that her eyes were bloodshot, dry, and a little puffy, obvious signs that she had been crying.

"I was worried about you two," he stated, motioning towards Emma. "What was going on?"

She pointed to their bedroom. "Let's go in there so we don't wake her up."

James closed the door behind him and joined Snow on their bed. She automatically nestled into his side and he put an arm around her.

"So, are you going to tell me what you two were discussing?"

"We had a much needed heart-to-heart. We talked a lot about her past, and it was pretty emotional for her."

"What did she tell you?"

She sighed. "There are some specific things that she asked me not to tell you. And I am going to honor her wishes. But I can say that she is deeply affected and hurt. It's really heartbreaking, James. Just knowing these horrible things that she went through makes me want to just break down. She has been hurt so much, and there is nothing I can do to change that."

"Hey," he whispered, tilting her chin up, "you can't change the past, but you do get to decide what your actions are going to be today. All we can do is be there for her now when she needs us."

"Believe me, that's what I've been doing."

"You're an amazing mother, you know."

"Oh please, I don't even know how to be one," she commented.

"Yes you do. You are great with her. She trusts you. She opens up to you. It isn't a secret that everything you do, you do for her. You're amazing." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Now go get some sleep."

She smiled. "I'm going to go back out there with Emma."

"I knew you would."

"Get some sleep yourself, James."

"I will. I love you Snow."

"Love you too."

She stood and slipped out of the room. He heard her moving around for a minute, and then all was quiet once more. He settled down in bed. He gave in to his fatigue and fell into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

August knocked on the door of Emma's apartment. He had been thinking about her all night. Their date had been going so well, and then she ran off without any warning. He was definitely worried that he had done something wrong.

The door opened after a moment to reveal Snow. She offered a small half-smile.

"I'm assuming that you're here to see Emma," she stated. He nodded in reply. She stepped back and invited him in. She walked up the stairs to Emma's room and he waited patiently. The Sheriff came down after a minute or two.

She smiled when she saw him, and he automatically returned it. He noticed that Snow had stayed upstairs in an attempt to give them some privacy.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, I'm just going to come out and say it: did I do something wrong last night?"

She shook her head. "No August. It wasn't you."

"Then what was it?"

She sighed. "A particularly bad memory. You don't need to worry about it."

"But I am worried about you Emma. If you haven't realized, I care a lot about you. I don't want to see you hurt like that."

"Thanks August. But really, just forget about it. And I do know that you care."

"Good."

"Listen, I feel like I should make it up to you."

He shook his head. "It's alright."

"No, it's not. How does dinner sound?"

He beamed. "I'm free on Thursday."

"Then it's a date."

"Oh so this one is a date, but last night wasn't?"

She laughed. "Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't."

He chuckled. "I would love to stay and chat, but I have plans with my father today."

"See you later?"

"I would bet on it," he answered with a small wink. He turned and exited the apartment. As  
he walked down the stairs, thoughts of Emma filled his head. There was something about her that made him smile. He knew that he didn't love her, but he had a feeling that if he wasn't careful, he would fall hard for the Savior. And he was perfectly okay with that.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Regina called her two knights back into her office. They stood in front of her, no emotion on their faces.

Peter and Edward were their names, at least she thought that they were. They were brothers who had worked in the stables at King Leopold's castle before she recruited them for her secret guard. She remembered taking each of their hearts. They had been loyal servants for many years, which was why she was trusting them with this important task.

She poured her potion into two glasses. The liquid shimmered as it settled. She could see small looks of disgust lining the features of her knights. She walked across the room and handed each of them a glass, accompanied by a photograph. She glanced out the window as the last rays of sunlight disappeared beneath the horizon. She turned towards them. There was no turning back.

"Drink up."

Peter and Edward tapped their glasses against each other's before pouring it down their throats. They both struggled to swallow, but after a moment they each gulped and took a large breath, indicating that they had finished. She nodded towards them and they both looked at the photograph that they had been given. She could see the concentration on their faces as they willed their bodies to transform. Their flesh seemed to bubble and move, and their bodies gradually began to shrink. After a few minutes Peter and Edward had disappeared, leaving Hansel and Gretel behind.

"Now. The enchantment lasts for twelve hours, but you can shape shift at any time. As soon as you have Henry in custody you can turn back to your natural forms."

"How will we lure him from his home?"

"Don't worry about that." She handed them a radio for each of their ears. "I will tell you exactly what you need to say. Now, go get my son back."

* * *

"Grandpa said that one day I can get a real sword," Henry told Emma as she tucked him into bed.

"We'll have to see about that."

"I can't be a real prince without one. All the cool heroes have their own swords," he stated.

"Hey, I think you are the best prince I have ever met."

"Really?"

"Absolutely," she said with a smile. She reached forward and tousled his hair. "Now get some sleep."

"Good night Mom."

"Sweet dreams Henry."

She headed downstairs, shutting the door behind her. Her parents were sitting on the couch, engrossed in a conversation. She heard James say something that caused Snow to laugh out loud. Usually she would go off by herself, but she decided to join into their conversation.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she took a seat across from them.

"Nothing," James said, perhaps a little too quickly.

"What did he do?" Emma turned to Snow.

"Don't you dare," he whispered under his breath.

Snow grinned. "Well, shortly before our wedding your father decided that he wanted to be romantic, so he planned a candle-lit dinner in the gardens behind our castle. It was lovely, that is until he knocked one of the candles down and set all the roses on fire."

Emma laughed. "That's sounds charming," she joked.

"It was not my fault!" he insisted in an attempt to defend himself.

Snow rolled her eyes. "That's probably one of the worst dates ever."

"I can beat that," Emma stated with a small smirk.

"Oh really?" James inquired, raising his eyebrow.

"This chick from work convinced me to go on a blind date with her cousin. He seemed normal at first, but by the end of the night he had started speaking the elvish language from Lord of the Rings. Plus he spent most of the meal showing me pictures of the Gandalf staff that he bought off of eBay. Probably one of the most awkward hours of my life. Turns out that the girl gave me the number of the wrong cousin."

"So it wasn't true love?" James teased.

"Not even close. The worst part is that a month later I had to pick him up for stealing a car and then running from the police. When I brought him back to the jail, he proceeded to ask me out again. When I said no he tried to convince me to say yes by telling me that with the money he got from selling the stolen car, he bought life-sized wax figures of all the hobbits, plus actual costumes from the first movie."

Snow and James were each laughing at that point. "Okay, you definitely win," Snow admitted. Emma smiled. She really liked just having a laid-back conversation with her parents. It turned out that when there was no pressure for her to treat them like her mom and dad, they were actually fun people to be around. Already she seemed pretty lame, being best friends with her mom. And now she actually wanted to hang out with her parents. It went completely against everything she learned as a teenager.

"You mentioned that you picked the guy up? Have you worked as a police officer before?" James inquired.

Emma shook her head. "Bail bonds person. I would pay the station to go pick up criminals, and then when I brought them back they would pay me. It paid really well, plus I got to pick my own hours."

"How did you fall into that?"

Snow and Emma shared a knowing look. They both remembered having this conversation ages ago.

"A number of reasons. A few years ago I was teaching a self-defense class at a gym. I hated the job but it was all I could get at the time. Anyway, this officer sat in on my class to get some tips for some pamphlet she was making, I don't really know, and she told me about some opportunities at the local station. I tried it out and I turns out I was really good, mainly because it was really similar to what I've done my whole life: looking for people."

Understanding dawned on James's face and he slowly nodded. He decided not to press Emma to talk about it. She would come to them when she was ready.

Emma chuckled, causing both Snow and James to raise their eyebrows.

"What?" Snow asked.

"It's just, when I was reading Henry's book, I noticed that you two have a catch phrase. 'I will always find you.' Anyway, I was just thinking that it runs in the family. You know, Henry found me, I spent my life finding other people, I've always been looking for you two, I mean the list goes on and on."

"It's what us Charmings do best," James stated, earning laughs from Emma and Snow.

They continued to talk for a while longer. They mainly discussed funny stories that they each had. Emma had to admit that it was nice not having deep conversations. She genuinely enjoyed the company of her parents.

After a while Emma started to yawn. "I think I'm going to get to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Sweet dreams Emma," Snow said.

James smiled. "We love you."

She returned the smile. "I know."

She climbed the stairs and disappeared into her room. Snow and James continued to sit on the couch. They each had a smile on their face. The night had gone so well, and they had gotten to spend quality time with their daughter.

James put his arm around Snow, pulling her close. She nestled into his side.

"You know, I think things are finally getting better. I think we're becoming a family," James told her.

"You're right. I'm so happy right now."

Emma's bedroom door was thrown open and she sprinted down the stairs. She immediately ran to the coat hanger and grabbed a leather jacket, throwing it on.

"Emma what's going on?" Snow question as she and James stood.

Emma looked at them as she grabbed her holster and strapped it on. She shoved her gun into it.

"Henry's gone."

**DUN DUN DUN!**

**Please don't hate me for the cliffhanger...**

**I am working on the next chapter so hopefully you guys won't have to wait too long.**

**Two more weeks until my Christmas break...I hope to be able to get some writing done before then but I can't make any promises. I can say that I will make it up over the holiday if I fall behind the next few weeks.**

**Who is hating the winter hiatus, because I know that I am...**

**Hope you enjoyed, and please let me know what you think! **


	20. Chapter 20

**I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while! It feels like forever! Finals were terrible, but now they are over so I will have a lot more time to work on this story. **

**ladywolf101 is the best beta ever...seriously. Amazing.**

Henry was almost asleep when he heard a small tapping sound against the bedroom window. He raised himself up on his elbows and turned to see what the sound was. He couldn't see that well, so he hopped out of bed and walked towards the window. He unlocked it and pushed it up.

"Hi Henry," Gretel said with a big smile.

"What are you guys doing here? It's the middle of the night," he responded.

"We need your help Henry," Hansel answered.

"With what?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him already.

"We found something while we were in the woods today. We aren't really sure what it is, but we figured you might since you had that Fairytale book," Gretel explained. "Plus, we're friends."

"How far away is it?" he asked.

"Just a short walk into the woods that way," Gretel stated as she pointed to the east.

Henry smiled. "Let's go." He decided to stay in his pajamas, but he grabbed his robe and tied it around him. He quickly slipped on a pair of sneakers and grabbed his flashlight from his backpack. He climbed out the window and pushed it back into place. He slowly climbed down the fire escape, trying not to make a sound. Once they had all reached the ground, Gretel took the lead and took Henry into the woods. They walked in silence for a few minutes, traveling deeper and deeper into the woods.

Henry had no idea how long they had been out, but he was getting nervous. The woods were unfamiliar to him, and the trees were old and twisted, so they cast eerie shadows everywhere. It seemed to get darker the further they traveled. Henry would be lying if he said that he wasn't a little scared. Plus Emma would be mad if she found out that he had snuck out. He didn't know how much longer this was going to take, and he figured that he should probably head back now to avoid getting in trouble, and to get out of these woods.

"Almost there," Gretel said.

"I really should head back. My mom is going to be so mad if she finds out that I'm out here."

"No! Come on Henry we will be there any second!"

He turned around. "I'm heading back. Sorry guys, maybe some other time."

"No!" Hansel yelled. The boy ran to Henry and tackled him to the ground. "You aren't going anywhere."

Henry started to panic. He had no idea what was going on. He thought that these were his friends, but he was starting to rethink that.

Suddenly Gretel's body began to morph. She seemed to grow and her hair shortened. In a matter of seconds a grown man stood in her place. Henry hadn't even noticed that Hansel had changed as well. Now two large men replaced the two kids that he thought were his friends.

"Who are you?"

"That's none of your concern. Now, time to go see your mother."

Henry shook his head and backed away. "No, please, you don't have to do this."

"Oh, but we do," Peter said. Henry turned and tried to run, but Edward tackled him once more. Peter pulled out duct tape and some rope and proceeded to tie Henry's hands behind his back. He placed a strip of tape over the boy's mouth. Henry had a panicked look in his eyes, and the two knights just smiled.

"We can't just carry him around town like this," Edward stated.

"I know that Brother," Peter replied as he pulled out a brown sack.

"Isn't that a bag used for potatoes?"

"Does that matter?" Peter retorted. He opened the bag. "Put the boy in here before anyone sees us."

"We are in the middle of the woods. I doubt anyone will see us."

"Just put him in the bag!"

Edward rolled his eyes as he shoved a struggling Henry into the sack. He gave the boy a smack across the face to get him to quiet down. Henry cried out as blood began to trickle from his nose. Once Henry was in the bag, Peter picked it up and swung it over his shoulder.

"Let's go give Her Majesty her son."

* * *

"What do you mean gone?" Snow asked, her eyes wide and full of concern.

"He just wasn't in the room." Emma turned and grabbed the doorknob. "I have to go find him."

"Emma wait!" James exclaimed as she flung the door open. "We're coming with you."

She nodded and continued out the door, followed closely by Snow and James. Once they reached the street, Emma turned towards her parents.

"I don't actually have a plan. I don't know where to look."

"Fortunately I have a friend that is very useful," Snow stated. She headed in the direction of Granny's diner. They kept a brisk pace, and Snow could see the worry that was already etched across Emma's face. Right before they entered the diner, Snow pulled Emma to the side. "It's going to be okay. We're Charmings, and we always find each other."

Emma nodded. She looked at the ground, and Snow noticed the sad expression in her daughter's eyes.

"What's the matter Emma?"

"I just miss Henry, that's all."

"No, that's not all. Talk to me Emma," Snow said.

"I'm just wondering why he left."

Snow paused. "Emma, what are you really thinking about?"

Emma sighed. "Maybe he had a reason to leave. Like maybe he wasn't happy."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Maybe I just wasn't a good enough mother."

Snow shook her head. "Don't you dare say that. You are a wonderful mother. You love him and he loves you. I don't know why he left, but I do know that it was not because of you." She placed her hands on Emma's cheeks. "We will find him."

Emma gave a small smile. "I know we will. I do have to ask though, why are we here?"

Snow turned towards the diner and pushed the door open. "Red!" she called.

"The more people looking for him, the easier it will be to find him," Emma stated, her tone full of understanding.

"That's true, but that's not why we need Red's help."

"Then why do we?"

Emma was cut off as Red bounded toward them. She had a big smile on her face. "What do you need?"

"Henry's gone," Snow answered. Reds face dropped.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked. Snow thrust out Henry's jacket. Emma hadn't even noticed that her mother had grabbed it. Red took it and held it to her face, sniffing it. Emma couldn't help but find this a little strange. "I've got his scent," Red said after a moment. She pushed the door open and began sniffing the air.

"What is going on?" Emma inquired of her mother. Snow smiled.

"Red's a werewolf. She's tracking Henry for us."

Emma's eyes grew wide. Just when she thought things couldn't get any weirder, a waitress that she had known for months turned out to be a werewolf. She shrugged her shoulders and followed Red.

* * *

Regina drummed her fingers on her desk. Her knights had been gone for some time, and she was growing impatient. This had to work. It just had to.

The door of her office swung open to reveal Edward. "Your Majesty," he said, "we got him."

She stood as Peter entered with a wiggling potato sack. He roughly dropped it to the ground.

"Careful!" Regina snapped as she knelt beside the sack. "Leave us." The knights turned and exited her office, shutting the door behind them. Regina untied the bag, causing Henry to tumble out. He was struggling against some bonds, much to Regina's annoyance. She snapped her fingers and the rope fell to the floor while the duct tape vanished.

"You!" Henry exclaimed, his eyes growing wide.

"I'm sorry they were so rough with you. I told them to be gentle."

"What am I doing here? Why did you take me?"

She smiled. "It's simple Henry. You're my son and I wanted you back. I want us to be a family again, like we used to be."

He shook his head. "I don't want to be here with you. I want to go home. I want to go back to my real mom."

A flash of sadness crossed her eyes, but she didn't let Henry notice. "Henry, I just want what is best for you. I can protect you here. I can give you anything that you want."

"What I want is my family."

"Henry I am your family," she told him, her voice sharp and authoritative. "No one else."

"No you're not! You've never loved me! You're just an evil queen, and I don't want anything to do with you!"

* * *

_"Henry, can you say 'Mama'?"_

_A gurgled sound escaped Henry's lips, and Regina sighed. This boy would never talk. She had been working on this with him for weeks now. She didn't let her frustration show as she continued to repeat the word over and over. His eyes stayed focused on her lips as if he was studying the shapes that they made. He moved his mouth along with hers, and she could tell that he was trying to speak._

_"'Mama', Henry, 'Mama'."_

_She could tell that the word was on the tip of his tongue. He made another gurgle sound and she sighed. At least she tried. The buzzer went off in the kitchen and she stood to go take dinner out of the oven. As she walked away, she heard a faint sound coming from her son's lips._

_"Mama."_

_She immediately sat next to him, not caring about dinner. "What did you say Henry?"_

_"Mama." He looked up at her and smiled. She beamed and pulled him into her arms. She planted a kiss on his head._

_"That's right Henry. Mama."_

* * *

They had been walking through the forest for what seemed like hours. Emma was getting more nervous with every step that they took. She couldn't help but wonder what he had been doing out here in the middle of the night.

Red came to a halt up ahead of them. "What is it?" Emma called.

"Did you lose his scent?" Snow asked.

Red shook her head. "His scent is still strong. But," she paused and avoided eye contact with any of them, "look." She pointed to a small area of dirt that had several footprints in it. But that was not what had caught her attention.

Emma knelt down on the ground. "What is that?" Her voice was shaky as she stared at the ground.

"Blood," Red answered.

Emma's eyes grew wide. She felt dizzy, so she put her hand on her tree to try and stabilize herself.

"Emma," Snow said, placing an arm on her daughter's shoulder.

"Someone hurt him." Emma looked up at her parents. "Someone hurt my son."

"It's going to be okay," Snow whispered. "We'll find him."

"He didn't leave. He was taken," Emma said to no one in particular. Suddenly her eyes grew dark and she clenched her fists. "Regina," she spat, the word poison in her mouth.

* * *

"I'm sorry Henry but you don't have a choice about this. You are staying with me and that's final," Regina said, her tone stern. Henry continued to glare at her, his eyes full of hate. "Oh stop looking at me like that," she told him. She stood and walked over to her desk. She grabbed a few of her things and stashed them in her pockets. "Now, let's go home," she told him with a smile. She held her handout to him, hoping that he would take it. He didn't. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his shoulder.

She felt magic course through her veins. A purple haze surrounded her and Henry, and her son looked around. She closed her eyes and pictured the front entrance of her home. A pulse of magic shot from her fingers, and she felt her body leave the ground. Suddenly she felt firm ground under her feet once more, and she opened her eyes. She was standing right next to her front door, and her hand still had a firm grip on Henry. She released him and smiled.

"Now wasn't that amazing? See Henry, I can show you a whole new world, if you just let me."

Henry shook his head. "Magic always comes with a price. And I don't want to pay it again," he spat. Her face fell, as his words stung. She did not want to be reminded of his near-death.

He ran up the stairs and she heard a door slam. She knew that he would try to escape. That troubled her, but she knew that he just needed time to realize that she was his true family. She had made sure to install guards around her house in order to keep him home. She didn't like using her power against him, but she had no other choice. She couldn't let him slip through her fingers again.

She climbed the stairs and headed to his room. She lightly knocked on his door. He didn't respond, so she just pushed it open. He was lying on his bed, face down. His body shook with silent sobs. Her heart broke a little, but she knew that this was for the best. He didn't understand that he needed to be with her.

She sat on the bed next to him. His head shot up to reveal a tear-stained face.

"Get away from me."

"Henry, I'm your mother. It's best for you to be with me."

"You are keeping me prisoner! I don't want to be here with you! I want my mom-not you!" he shouted.

"I love you Henry."

He shook his head. "If you really loved me, then you would let me be with my family."

She was speechless. She cleared her throat. "Why don't you get some rest? We can discuss this more in the morning." She rose and left his bedroom. She shut the door behind her and walked to her room. She sat on her own bed and held her head in her hands.

She didn't know what she was going to do. She had finally gotten her son back. But he hated her. Her darling little boy was gone.

Regina wept.

* * *

Emma had never run so fast in her life. She could hear her parents following her, struggling to keep up with her pace. Her mind was focused on one thing, and she wasn't going to stop until she had reached the mayor's house. She heard her name being called over and over again, but she didn't care. She knew that she should have a plan before attempting to rescue her son, but she didn't have time to stop and think. Instead she kept running faster and faster, leaving her family behind. She was blinded by her rage, and that just made her run faster.

She had known that Regina wanted Henry back. But she had not expected her kid to get kidnapped in the middle of the night. Yet now she cursed herself for not being on her guard. She should have expected Regina to pull a stunt like this, and she wished that she had been prepared. She couldn't waste time thinking about the past, so instead she chose to focus on rescuing Henry.

She started running down Mifflin Street. Her adrenaline was the highest it had ever been. She saw the white house in the distance. Her fists were clenched and she sprinted towards it.

"Emma stop!" her father yelled. She ignored him.

She was running as fast as she possibly could when she entered the property.

The second her foot stepped on Regina's curb, she was thrown into the air. She heard a loud boom, followed by a flash of light. She flew through the air and landed on the other side of the street. She felt her head slam against the ground, and everything went dark.

"EMMA!" her mother yelled.

It was the last thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

**Sorry the chapter was a little short. Hope you enjoyed!**

**Yay another cliffhanger! **

**I know that a lot what going on in this chapter, and I hope that makes up for the long wait in between updates.**

**Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I hope all of you enjoyed the holidays! Thank you for all of your reviews! They really make my day!**

**I loved writing this chapter! Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Thank you to ladywolf101 for being an awesome beta!**

"She has some head trauma and a possible concussion, but nothing too serious. I'm going to keep her overnight just to make sure she's okay," Emma's doctor told Snow and James.

"Thank you, Dr. Whale," James said.

He nodded. "My pleasure." He exited the room, leaving Snow and James alone with an unconscious Emma.

Snow brushed a strand of hair off of Emma's face. "I hope she's okay," she whispered.

James wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "She's going to be fine. She's a fighter, just like you."

Snow sighed. "What are we going to do about Henry?"

"Well, now we know that Regina has set up some sort of barrier spell. I don't know much about magic, but we can talk to the fairies tomorrow. Hopefully they can help us come up with a plan."

"I'll stay home tomorrow with Emma. I want her to rest."

James smiled. "I think that's a wonderful idea. But you know, Emma's not the only one who needs rest."

Snow rolled her eyes. "Stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself."

"It's my job to take care of you," he told her as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

She laid her head on his chest. "Do you ever think that we will be able to live our lives in peace?"

"Not until we take care of Regina."

They fell into a silence. They both just stared at Emma, consumed in their own thoughts.

"When do you think we should tell Emma?" Snow slowly asked.

"I don't know. With everything going on with Henry, I don't want to overwhelm her. It's a lot to handle, and I want to ease her into it."

"I don't want to keep secrets. Besides, we won't be able to keep it from her. She is going to figure it out soon enough."

"Why does this have to be so difficult?"

"It's not difficult. It's just complicated. Just like the rest of our lives," she said.

* * *

Emma groaned. Her head was killing her, and her whole body ached. She opened her eyes a little, just to find that her vision was blurred. She saw a few shapes move around the room, and heard a familiar voice say her name. She tried to move, but she felt a sharp pain shoot down her back. She groaned again. She could hear her name being said over and over, and she thought that she recognized the speaker. She turned towards one of the shapes, and her vision focused.

"Emma," Snow said.

"Yeah?" the blonde responded, her voice weak.

Snow smiled. She had been waiting at the hospital all night. She had wanted to be there when Emma woke up. Time had pretty much stood still, but her daughter was finally awake. Dr. Whale entered a few minutes later and did a basic check-up. Luckily Emma was responsive and seemed to be just fine. After a few minutes she was able to sit up, and eventually she had returned to her normal self.

"How long do I have to stay here?" she asked.

Dr. Whale looked up from his clipboard. "Well, I think you could go home right now, as long as you have someone to keep an eye on you."

"I'll be with her," Snow stated, earning a nod from the doctor.

"Very well. I'll go fill out the paperwork, and you can get ready to leave."

"Thank you," Emma told him.

He smiled. "My pleasure." He walked out the door, leaving Snow and Emma alone.

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Snow inquired.

"Um, I was running, and then I hit something and was thrown through the air. Then I landed on my back and blacked out, but I heard you guys screaming my name."

Snow sighed. "You ran straight into Regina's barrier spell. We're lucky that you only have a minor concussion. You have no idea how terrifying it was. Emma, you can't be reckless like that. You are not going to help Henry if you land yourself in the hospital every five minutes."

"I don't need a lecture from you. I'm a grown woman, and I can make my own decisions, thank you very much," Emma snapped.

"Yes, because almost killing yourself is an AWESOME decision."

"What was I supposed to do? She has my son!"

"Emma, I know that! But your safety is my responsibility as well."

"I don't need you to worry about me! I have been taking care of myself for twenty-eight years!" she yelled. "And Henry's safety is MY responsibility!"

"I know you don't need me to take care of you but I want to! And guess what? Your father and I are just as worried about Henry as you are! Do you know where your father is right now? He is meeting with the fairies to discuss ways to break down Regina's barrier. We want Henry to be safe just as much as you do, and don't you dare suggest that we have no role in his protection. We are a FAMILY Emma, and we take care of each other whether you like it or not."

Emma glared at her mother before standing and walking to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her. Snow took a deep breath and sat down. She didn't need the stress that came from fighting with Emma.

Emma came out moments later, a scowl on her face. She noticed that there were clean clothes laid out on the bed.

"Your father brought those by." Emma did not feel like talking to her mother right now. She had no idea why, but Snow was just making her angry for no reason. But she was not about to apologize. She wordlessly grabbed the clothes and quickly changed. She looked dreadful, that much was certain, but she didn't really care.

Snow was busy signing some forms that Dr. Whale had just dropped off. She could feel Emma watching her, but she chose not to say anything.

"Where is this meeting with the fairies?" Emma asked.

"You're not going."

"Excuse me?"

"You are going home and getting some rest. You almost killed yourself, and you have a concussion. You are in no state to go out and try to rescue Henry. And don't you dare fight me on this. You're going home and that's final."

Emma clenched her teeth. "You can't tell me what to do. Who do you think you are?"

"Your mother."

Emma glared at Snow the entire time that she was being checked out of the hospital. She slammed her door when her mother refused to let her drive home. She mumbled rude remarks under her breath every few minutes, and made sure to let Snow hear a few of them. She practically had to be dragged into the apartment and she considered bolting, but knew that that was a stupid idea. She immediately went upstairs to her room, making a point of slamming her door so hard that the loft shook a little. Emma was angry at Snow, and she wasn't even sure why. She didn't know if she was mad at her mother, or if she was just taking her anger at Regina out on Snow. Either way, she was angry.

Snow had rolled her eyes every time she caught Emma shooting her a dirty look, every time she heard some rude comment, and every time a door was slammed. She knew that Emma was angry, but she didn't care. Emma needed to stay home right now whether she liked it or not. But Snow knew that that wasn't the only reason Emma was mad. She knew that her daughter was taking her emotions out on her mother simply because she had no one else to take it out on. Snow had lived with Emma for months, and she had seen this act before. She had seen her fair share of broken glasses and toasters. The only difference this time was that Mary Margaret wasn't a passive bystander. Snow had no problem butting heads with Emma. She knew that she was stubborn and said exactly what she thought, making it easy for her to jump into arguments, and it was clear that these traits had been passed down to Emma.

She decided to make some hot chocolate as a peace offering. After all, she was supposed to be taking care of Emma, not causing her more stress. And besides, Snow needed to eliminate as much stress from her own life as was possible.

Just as she was sprinkling the cinnamon on top of their drinks, the doorbell rang. She opened it to find Riley leaning against the doorframe.

"I need to borrow Henry's books," the girl said, completely skipping a greeting.

"Coffee table," Snow stated as she gestured towards the living room. "What do you need them for?"

Riley picked up the books. "There might be something in her that could help us get Henry back."

Snow raised her eyebrows. "How do you know about that?"

"I can sense when things are out of balance."

"Seriously?" Snow asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Red told me when I went to get breakfast this morning. Oh and by the way, I told my father. He should be stopping by to see Emma soon."

"Thanks for the heads up," Snow told her as she left the apartment.

She grabbed the two drinks and climbed the stairs. She paused at the door and listened for a moment. She could hear the sound of muffled crying. She slowly pushed the door open and tiptoed across the room. She didn't know if she was welcome or not, but she didn't care. Her daughter needed her and she was going to comfort her. She set the mugs down and sat next to Emma's trembling body. She noticed that the blonde was clinging to something, and after a moment she realized that it was Emma's baby blanket. She hesitantly reached towards her daughter and lightly ran her fingers through the blonde curls.

"Leave me alone."

"I'm not going to do that, Emma. You need me."

"No I don't. I'm fine on my own," Emma spat.

"You have been hurt, and I'm here to comfort you. I'm not leaving anytime soon."

"Please just go!"

Snow realized that there was nothing she could do to change Emma's mind. She silently stood and left the room, taking her own mug of cocoa with her. She stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, lost in her own thoughts. She hated fighting with Emma. It made her sick to her stomach. Or maybe it wasn't the fight...

Snow barely made it to the bathroom before she vomited up her entire breakfast.

* * *

August knocked on Emma's door. He didn't know what he was going to say to her. All he knew was that he needed to make sure that she was okay.

Snow opened the door and let him in. "She's upstairs. You'll be lucky if she talks to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that she didn't even want me up there and I'll doubt if she'll let you stay." Snow walked back to the living room and took a seat on the sofa. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

August climbed the stairs, hoping that Emma would talk to him. He truly cared about her, and he wanted her to know that he was here for her. He softly tapped on the door.

"Leave me alone."

"It's August."

He heard movement from behind the door before it was thrown open. "What do you want?"

"I heard about Henry. I wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"My son was taken from me. Do you honestly think that I would be okay?" she asked.

He shook his head. "That's exactly why I'm here. I'm here to support you, Emma."

Her eyes softened. "Thank you. I'm sorry I had to cancel our date."

"Don't even sweat it." He smiled. "Look, Emma, I'm going to help any way that I can. You have my number, call me if you need anything. And I mean anything."

"Actually I need someone to watch the station. Care to be a deputy?"

"I would love to," he answered, flashing her another smile. "Listen, I've got to run. I'm going to go see if I can meet up with your father and work on getting Henry home. I'll see you soon, Emma."

She gave him a small grin. "Thank you for everything August." She retreated back into her bedroom, and he descended down the stairs.

"How did you get her to talk to you?" Snow asked the second her reached the main level.

"I'm just that charming. Plus I know she likes me," he said.

"I've got my eye on you."

"I'm sure you do," he stated as he let himself out of the apartment.

* * *

James was tired. He hadn't slept in almost two days. He had been up all night at the hospital, and then had been running around town all day. This whole situation was stressful, and he just wanted his grandson to come home. Luckily the fairies were hard at work and the other kings had offered their services. He had no idea what they would do without all of this extra help.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside. All the lights were turned off except a small lamp in the living room. A plate of food sat on the counter right where Snow had said she would leave it. He walked over and unwrapped it, immediately scarfing down the sandwich. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

As he headed towards his room, he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs. He turned to see Emma frozen in place. He could tell that she hadn't known he was down here. She immediately moved to go back to her room.

"Emma," he called out. He quickly ascended the stairs until he was standing next to her. "You okay?"

She was clutching her baby blanket against her chest, and her eyes were puffy and red. She stared at him, and slowly shook her head.

He took a seat on the stairs and patted the space next to him. She joined him and started fiddling with her blanket.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Henry."

"I'm going to get him back. I promise."

"I know."

They sat in silence for a moment. James didn't know what to say to her. He didn't know how to make her feel better.

"Your mother told me that you two got in a little fight."

"Yeah. It was probably my fault. I was being a jerk."

He shook his head. "What you need to understand is that you and Snow are exactly alike. You two are either going to get along perfectly or not at all. And that's okay, it's natural. What's important is that at the end of the day, she loves you and just wants what is best for you. You just need to be willing to let her be there for you. I know you're stubborn, but she knows when you need her, and you have to learn to let her in. If you push her away you are just going to hurt yourself even more. And no one wants that."

"It's just hard to do that."

"I know it is, but you have to trust us. When we say that we love you we mean it."

She gave him a tiny smile. "I know you do."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Why we're you coming downstairs?"

She looked down. "I...um..."

"I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me."

"I didn't want to be alone," she whispered.

He reached forward and placed his fingers under her chin, lifting her face up. "You never have to be alone again. I will not let that happen." A small tear ran down her face, and he wiped it away with his thumb. He offered her a smile, which she returned. "Now, go talk to your mother. I know you want to, even if you don't admit it."

She gave a small laugh. "Thank you."

She stood and walked towards the bedroom as he made his way the living room. Suddenly she turned back towards him, and much to his surprise, she threw her arms around him. The hug didn't last very long, but it was all that each of them needed.

He went and lay on the couch, finally remembering how tired he was. But he didn't know if he could sleep. Because he didn't know if he could get this smile off of his face. Because his daughter was finally thinking of him as someone she could come to. And that is all that he had ever wanted.

* * *

Snow was awake when she heard Emma tiptoe into the room. She waited for the blonde to make the first move, but when nothing happened after a few moments, she sat up and faced her daughter. Emma was still clutching to her blanket, and she was looking at the ground.

"Emma?"

Emma looked up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you."

Snow smiled. "You don't need to apologize." She patted the space next to her on the bed. Her daughter took a seat on the edge of the bed. She fiddled with her blanket in her lap, obviously not sure of what to say. "What do you need?"

"I don't know why I'm here. I'm not a baby that goes running to her mommy in the middle of the night."

"But you're my baby, Emma. And if you need my in the middle of the night, or anytime at all, then I expect you to come running to me."

Emma sighed. "I was a jerk today."

Snow shrugged. "It's okay. I know that you're just worried about Henry."

She nodded and bit her lip. "It's just...she took him from me...she took my son," Emma said as she burst into tears. Snow pulled her close and held her as she shook with sobs. "He's my baby and now he's gone. I want him back, Mom. I want my baby back," Emma choked out between her cries.

"I know sweetheart. I know how it feels. I know how much it hurts," Snow whispered. She ran her fingers through Emma's hair as she tried to hold in her own tears. She had to be strong for Emma.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Emma asked as she wiped away some of her tears.

"Of course you can." Emma laid down next to Snow. She moved so she was laying her head on her mother's shoulder. Snow slowly ran her fingers through her daughter's curls. They sat in silence until Emma drifted off to sleep.

Snow finally let her own tears fall. She knew exactly how Emma felt. She wanted her own baby back. She had wanted to be there every time Emma had needed someone to comfort her in the middle of the night, or anytime really. She wanted that beautiful baby girl back. She was so proud of the woman that Emma had become, but she still wished that she could have been a part of her daughter's childhood. She wished that she had had the chance to really be a mother. Emma stirred, and Snow planted a small kiss on her head. She may not have been there for her baby for the past twenty-eight years, but she was here now.

She wanted to tell Emma the truth so badly. She had always hated secrets. But she couldn't say a word. Because James was right. They couldn't overwhelm her right now. This was going to be a big change in their lives, and she knew that it was going to be a lot for Emma to handle. It was best to wait until Henry was safe at home. She just wished that this wasn't going to be so complicated. Just thinking about it made her sick to her stomach. But it wasn't that...

She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom and vomited. As she hung her head over the rim of the toilet she heard someone come in. She felt a hand gently rub her back.

"You okay?" James asked.

"I hate this part."

"I do too. Can I do anything for you?"

"You lucked out. You don't have to hold my hair back this time."

He laughed. "That's true." He continued to rub her back as she threw up again. "I hate seeing you this sick."

"It will pass. It wasn't that bad last time." She stood and went to the sink where she washed her mouth out. "See? I'm already better."

"For now," he mumbled. He pulled her into a hug. "If I could make it go away I would. I just feel so bad for you."

"You should. After all, you did do this to me," she said with a small smile, earning a laugh.

"You're welcome," he teased.

She chuckled. "I'm going to go try to get some sleep. So should you."

"Sleep well," he said as he pressed his lips against her forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

Henry stared out his bedroom window at the clock tower. He wondered if Emma was looking at it too. He wished that he could leave this place, but the Queen had guards patrolling the property to make sure that he stayed put. He hated being a prisoner. He wanted to go home and be with his real family. He missed them so much it hurt. He never should have snuck out. It was his own fault that he was trapped here. He had taken his safety for granted. And now he knew that Emma was going to do anything to get him back. While the idea of having someone care about him that much thrilled him, it also made him worried. He knew that Emma would put his safety above her own, even though she was the savior and the one that needed to be kept safe. He didn't want anyone to get hurt, but now he knew that a fight against the Queen was destined to happen. He wanted it to. Regina wasn't his mother anymore. He knew that she cared for him, but her crimes outweighed anything good inside her. He had already hated her for casting this curse and ripping his family apart, and now she had separated them again. Everyone thought that she wouldn't use magic against him, but she had used it to deceive and trick him. He felt stupid. He should have guessed that she would try something, and yet he had completely fallen for the deception. And now he was stuck her in this room that he had always hated. And he missed his life. He missed his grandparents. He missed his mom.

He laid on his bed and curled into a ball. He cried himself to sleep.

**Hope you guys liked this chapter! **

**Please let me know what you think! **


	22. Chapter 22

**Thank you so much for your responses to the last chapter!**

**I hope everyone like my plot twists... **

**This is my favorite chapter. I have been waiting to write this for a while, and I'm so excited to post it!**

**I couldn't ask for a better beta. ladywolf101 is amazing.**

**Enjoy!**

The flash of lightning was immediately followed by a boom of thunder. It was impossible to see out the window as the rain was falling so hard. The lights continued to flicker on and off as the storm progressed. It was too dangerous to venture outside, leaving the Charmings trapped in their home.

Snow and James sat in the kitchen sipping cups of hot chocolate while Emma sat by the window. She wasn't interested in keeping up a conversation with her parents. Her mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of her son.

"We should be out there trying to rescue Henry," Emma said as she stared out the window. She hated being kept at home. "He's been there long enough."

"It's too dangerous. We won't be helping him if we kill ourselves," James told her. She continued to scowl.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Who in their right minds would go out in a storm like this?" Emma mumbled as she crossed the apartment. She flung the apartment door open to reveal a drenched and shivering Riley.

"Hey," the girl greeted as she entered.

"What are you doing here?" James asked.

She peeled off her raincoat and boots. "Well, I had something important to discuss with you and I thought that now would be an ideal time."

"And why is that?" Snow questioned.

"No one else is out and about, so therefore, no one is going to notice that I'm here. And it's really important that we keep this a secret. No one can know that I'm working with you guys."

"You're not making any sense," Emma stated.

Riley pulled her wet hair into a knot. She grabbed her backpack and made herself at home in the living room. "I will in a minute if you just let me explain." She pulled a few notebooks out of her backpack followed by the two story books. She set the items on the coffee table as everyone gathered around.

"What does your father think about you being here?" Snow inquired.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Really?" Emma said under her breath as she took a seat. "Okay, we're all ears."

"Good," Riley responded as she put on a pair of glasses. "Okay, so in the month since Henry was taken, you guys have tried and failed several times to get him back. And that's not your fault. Regina is a tough opponent. But your problem is that you go into these things blindly, and you don't really do any research. But luckily for you, I have spent the last few weeks gathering information and I finally have a plan."

"Great, what is it?" Emma asked.

"One thing that I've learned in life is that everything has a weakness. It may not be obvious, but it does exist. And sometimes the key to winning isn't being the strongest, but it's knowing how to use your opponent's weakness against them. You have to make their weakness your strength. So naturally, I've been researching spells and learning about magic. Every spell that exists has some weakness. Like this curse, for example, can be broken by Emma."

"You've been looking for a way to break down her barrier spell," Snow said.

"Exactly. What I've discovered is that Regina used the most powerful barrier spell. I know this because of what happened to Emma. The key to this spell, however, is that it is also very specific. When Regina cast it, she had to individually name every person that could not enter. That's why Henry, her knights, and she can come and go as they please. Think of it this way: the spell is like a door. For the people that she named, it's locked, but for the people that remain unnamed, it's open."

"Okay, that makes sense, but how does that help us?" James questioned.

"Like I said before, we need to use this spell's weakness against it."

"How?" he asked.

Riley smiled. "Well, the spell was cast the day everyone woke up. And I didn't get here until a few days later."

Silence filled the room as everyone processed this information. Emma's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open.

"Her spell doesn't keep you out," she stated.

Riley nodded. "Exactly. And lucky for you, I already have a plan. It's very risky, but I know it will work. I'm getting Henry back in two days."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin sat in his home office, looking over some documents he had recently gotten access to. He hadn't known that looking for his son was going to be this difficult.

There was a soft knock at the door. Belle opened it a minute later, a smile on her face. "There is someone here to see you."

"Send them in darling," he said as he stood. She moved aside, and Riley stepped forward.

"Hello, Rumple," the girl greeted with a cocky smile on her face.

"Belle, can you give us a moment?"

"Of course," she answered. She placed a small kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to go start lunch." She left the room, leaving Rumplestiltskin and Riley alone.

"Are you here to make good on your side of our deal?"

"Absolutely," she replied. "As long as you are willing to uphold your end."

"I don't break deals, dearie."

He had been wary of doing business with the girl. He had no idea who she was or how she had gotten into town, and he did not like dealing with mysterious people. He hated going into deals without knowing what the outcome would be. Yet she had offered him something to great to ignore, so he had agreed to her deal.

Riley handed him a thick stack of papers. "I spent the last few days hacking into various foster system networks. It's illegal, so I hope I can rely on your protection should I get caught, which is unlikely as I don't leave trails. I got all information on boys that have come into the system with the descriptions you gave me. Pictures, birth dates, social security numbers, you name it. All the information you need to track down your son is right there, you just need to narrow it down."

He flipped through the papers. "I do have to say that I'm impressed. You really proved to be quite useful."

"Yeah I get that a lot. People really don't expect much from me, so I tend to surprise them."

"You know, I have a lot to offer. You should think about working for me full time."

She laughed. "Once I get Henry home then we'll talk. Now, I do have somewhere to be, if you don't mind paying up."

"Oh yes," he said. He walked to his desk and opened a small box. He pulled out a small vial with a glimmering red potion inside. He handed it to her. "I understand that you know how to use it?"

"Don't worry, I researched the fiend fire before I came to you."

"And you know that it is almost impossible to control?"

She grinned. "That's kind of the point."

He nodded. "Good luck to you. I hope you get Henry home safely."

"And I hope you can find your son, Rumplestiltskin."

She turned and left his house. He watched her walk down the street before he went to the kitchen to join Belle.

* * *

Snow sat on her bed, nervously twirling her ring. She had a lot on her mind, and she had never been this stressed out.

They still hadn't told Emma about the baby. Here she was almost ten weeks along and she hadn't told anyone except James. She knew that the longer she waited to tell Emma, the worse her daughter's reaction would be. Which was understandable. It was a big deal, and Snow knew that it was going to be a lot for Emma to handle. Which was why they had decided to wait. Emma was already stressed out about Henry, and they didn't know if she could handle this on top of that. Snow hated keeping secrets, but she knew that it was for the best.

This had been one of the biggest surprises of her life. She and James weren't even trying, and yet suddenly they were hit with a pink plus sign. This had definitely been unplanned, as it wasn't the best time in the world to bring another child into the world. They were still trying to get to know their daughter, and they still had a lot of ways to grow as a family. The baby certainly complicated things. But she had quickly gotten over it. She immediately wanted and loved this little boy or girl with all of her heart. She knew that it would make a perfect addition to their family. She had always wanted a big family. And she was genuinely excited to have another child. She loved being a mother, even though she was the same age as her daughter. She loved taking care of someone, and she loved having another rely on her. Plus she would get to raise this one. But she knew that Emma would feel like they were replacing her. Which was not the case. She loved both her children equally, even though she hadn't even met the second one yet. It was still a little strange for her. She still thought of Emma as her baby girl, but now she had an actual baby on the way. She didn't know how to deal with this whole situation.

And to top it off, Riley was going to rescue Henry tonight. And she was scared for their safety.

James walked in holding a mug of hot chocolate for her. She had forgotten how much more she craved this stuff when she was pregnant. She couldn't drink enough of it. She gladly took it from him and took a long drink, which already started to calm her down. He sat next to her and leaned his head on her shoulder. He immediately started tracing circles on her stomach.

He had instantly fallen in love with the new baby. He talked to it late into the night when he thought she was asleep, and he couldn't keep his hands off her stomach. He had acted the same way with Emma, so she wasn't surprised at all.

"Snow," he said, gaining her attention.

"Yes?"

"I want you to stay here tonight. For your safety and for the baby's."

She nodded. "Okay."

"You're not going to fight me on it?"

"It wouldn't do any good. I know you," she told him. He planted a kiss on her forehead and the leaned down to place one on her stomach.

"Daddy loves you."

"James, stop it before Emma hears you."

He gave her a smile. "You're just jealous. Don't worry, I love you too."

The sound of the doorbell pulled them out of their moment. They both rose and joined hands as they ventured into the living room.

Riley stood in the doorway with her backpack, dressed in all black. "I've told my dad that I wasn't feeling well. He thinks that I'm asleep in my room. Now we just have to wait until the right time to strike."

"Which would be?" Emma asked.

"Around two or so," Riley answered as she took a seat in the living room. "Which gives us a little time to go over particulars and get ready."

The Charmings all nodded as they made themselves comfortable.

"I've decided to stay back here," Snow stated, sharing a look with James.

"Alright. Which means Emma and James will come with me. Okay, I want you two at the end of the street. You will wait for Henry, and as soon as you see him, I want you guys to run back here."

"What about you?" Emma questioned. "What if you're not with him?"

"You don't need to worry about me. All that's important is Henry's safety. Besides, I can take care of myself." Emma started to protest, but Riley cut her off. "What defenses will the two of you have?"

"We've have four guns from the police station," James told her.

"Excellent."

"What about you?" he inquired.

She smiled as she grabbed her backpack. She pulled out a large roll of material and set it on the table. She undid the Velcro strap and unrolled it to reveal a collection of about fifteen different sized knives. "I have ways to carry them, don't worry," she stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

They discussed different aspects of their plans for a while. Finally Riley looked at the clock and announced that it was time for them to prepare to leave. Emma and James each went to their respective rooms to get changed, leaving Riley and Snow alone.

Riley began to slip knives into her boots. "So, when are you going to tell Emma that you're expecting?"

Snow had been on her way to the bedroom, but she froze in her tracks. "Ex-expecting what?" she stuttered.

Riley chuckled. "You don't have to lie to me you know. You can trust me."

Snow turned to her. "How do you know?"

"I can sense when things are out of balance," she joked, earning a glare from Snow. "Okay, my mom and step-dad had a baby about a year ago. I know all the signs. Plus you aren't really trying to hide it that much."

Snow sighed. "Please don't tell Emma."

"I wasn't going to. That's your business, not mine."

"Thank you," Snow said with a small nod.

Riley finished strapping the knives to herself. She looked Snow straight in the eye. "Snow, I need to ask you to do something for me."

"What do you need?"

The younger girl sighed. She pulled out an envelope from her backpack and held it out to Snow. "In case something goes wrong tonight and I don't make it, can you give this to my father?"

Snow's face fell. "Don't talk like that. You are going to make it."

Riley shook her head. "I didn't want to say anything, because this is the only chance we have of getting Henry back. But we both know that I'm walking into a death trap. And I am going to fight until I die if that's what it takes to get Henry out of there."

"Why are you willing to risk your life for us?"

"I'm looking at the big picture. And Henry is way more important than I'll ever be. And I'm okay with that." Snow stood in silence for a moment. "I would go say my goodbyes if I were you."

Snow put the envelope in her pocket, and then pulled Riley into a hug. "Thank you for everything you have done for my family."

"It's been my pleasure." Riley smiled, and Snow returned the gesture.

Snow left the living room and went into her bedroom where she found James sitting buttoning up his shirt. He looked up at her and offered a weak smile. He stood and crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. They stood in their embrace for a few moments, content with being in each other's arms. She placed her forehead against his, gazing into his eyes.

"Promise me that you will make it home tonight."

"I promise."

"Promise me that you will keep our daughter and grandson safe."

"I promise."

"I love you so much, James."

"I love you too, Snow." He leaned forward and softly kissed her. He looked down and brushed his fingers against her stomach. "Daddy loves you too."

They both knew that it was time for the group to leave, so the reentered the kitchen. Riley and Emma stood next to each other, talking about their plans.

"I'm planning on creating a fiend fire to distract the knights and bring Regina out of the house," Riley stated.

"What exactly is that?" Emma asked.

"Magical fire. Nearly impossible to control. The perfect diversion."

"Ready to go?" James inserted. "It's almost two."

Riley and Emma each nodded. Snow quickly walked across the room and threw her arms around Emma.

"Promise me that you'll be safe, alright?"

"I promise."

"I love you Emma," Snow whispered.

"Love you too," Emma returned.

The trio grabbed the rest of their things and headed out the door with final yucky. Snow looked through the window and watched them walk toward Mifflin Street until they disappeared from sight.

She sunk onto the couch and hugged her middle. She began to sob. She had never been so afraid.

* * *

Emma and James stood at the end of Mifflin Street. They stared at Riley as the young girl prepared to enter Regina's house.

"Are you sure that you're okay? You don't have to do this," James said.

"I'm fine!" Riley snapped. It was obvious how tense she was. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Nerves." She cracked her knuckles then turned to face Emma and James. "Well, it's now or never. Wish me luck."

"Be careful," Emma told her. Riley nodded then slowly walked down the street. "I don't have a very good feeling about this," she told her father.

* * *

Riley was careful to avoid being seen. She crept along the edge of the Queens property, hardly daring to breathe. The knights roamed around on the lawn, their eyes scanning for any disturbance. She could see the bulge of hand guns at their sides as they walked. She was definitely nervous, but that couldn't stop her now. She finally made it to the side of the house opposite to where Henry's bedroom was. She pulled the potion out of her pocket and quietly uncorked it. She slowly poured its contents in a line along the bushes. She knew that Regina would be the only one who could deal with these special flames, so that should give her a few minutes to get into the house and get Henry. She hoped that she had planned well enough for this. Everyone was relying on her to get this right. She pulled a matchbox out of her pocket and pulled a single match out. She struck it and lit it with ease, as she was a slight pyromaniac and was no stranger to fire, and she held it up to her face. It was now or never. She threw it onto the trail of the potion.

Immediately flames twenty feet high shot up into the sky. The force of them coming to life knocked her on her back. The colors of the fire were brighter and more intense than anything she had ever seen before. The heat that radiated off of them already made her skin feel burned. They flickered with such power that it was mesmerizing. The fiend fire was nothing short of majestic.

She shook herself out of her daze and got to her feet. She sprinted to the other side of the house, all the while hearing the knights scream. She hopped over the bushes and onto the lawn with ease, as no spell was holding her back. She had never run this fast before, yet she had more energy than she could even describe.

A knight had remained to guard Henry's window. She pulled a knife out of her boots and quietly buried it in his neck. She should have felt more disturbed at killing someone, but she knew that he would have done the same to her. She wiped her knife off on the grass and took his gun from his holster.

She ran over to the side of the house to where Henry's window was. Luckily there was a rain pipe right next to it. She gripped the sides of the metal tube with her hands and, using all the strength in her, pulled herself up. She never thought she would see a day when she was actually grateful she had to climb a rope in gym. She felt her muscles burn under the strain, and she could feel a vein in her forehead bulging out, but she didn't stop. She had to rescue Henry. As she was reaching the top, she could hear Regina's voice in Henry's room telling him to stay put. Riley immediately froze in place and hung on for dear life, she didn't even risk breathing. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard the Queen leave the room. As she breathed a sigh of relief, she swung her leg up and kicked Henry's window.

The boy appeared in an instant. His face was overtaken by an enormous smile as he pulled the window open.

"Riley!" he quietly exclaimed.

"Get you shoes on. I'm going to take you home." She had never seen someone get ready to leave so fast. Not that she was complaining. She had pulled herself into his room and was sitting on the windowsill. "Okay Henry, I'm going to teach you how to jump out of a window," she stated.

"We could just use this," he said as he pulled a homemade cloth ladder out from under his bed. She had never been so excited to see something in her life.

They threw it out the window and she climbed down as fast as she could. She waited patiently at the bottom as Henry made his journey down.

Two knights ran around the corner and froze in place as they saw the scene in front of them. Their mouths fell open in shock, buying Riley enough time to send a knife flying into each of their chests. They immediately hit the ground. Sounds of screams coming from knights and orders from Regina filled the air as Henry planted his feet on the ground.

"We're almost there," Riley told him as they began to run towards the street.

More guards ran towards them, and Riley viciously threw her knives at them. Most of them fell to the ground, but a few kept advancing.

"Your mom and grandpa are at the end of the street. Run to them now and do not stop for anything. I will protect you Henry," she promised as she saw the fear grow in his eyes. She took off running in the direction she pointed him in.

The next few minutes were a blur. She was engaged in extreme hand-to-hand combat with many knights. She took punch after punch in the stomach and face, but somehow she managed to either kill them or knock them unconscious. She did notice, however, that she was out of knives. She did have a gun that she picked off of a knight, but that was the only form of protection that she had left. She scrambled to the street and much to her relief, she saw Henry in the arms of his mother. The trio stalled and moved as if to assist her, but she waved them on. She was going to be fine, and she was going to catch up to them anyway. She made her way down the street, shooting at the knights and fighting them off. Eventually she ran out of bullets and dropped the gun to the ground. She continued to make her way down the street.

It was eerily quiet. She heard the click of a gun behind her, and she held up her hands. She turned around to face the person who would most likely become her killer.

* * *

Seeing Henry run down the street had been the best sight Emma could have every wished for.

The past few minutes had been horrible. The fiend fire was huge and out of control, thankfully, but that was all they had known for a few minutes. They were too far away to be able to see Riley, or anyone for that matter. All they could hear we're screams, gunshots, and the sounds of people fighting. Emma had spent every second praying that her son was okay.

She hadn't noticed when James had grasped her hand. But she did know that it made her feel safe and secure, and she couldn't have been more thankful that her father was there for her to lean on.

She ran to meet Henry and held him in her arms. She immediately burst into tears she clung to him.

"Henry! I missed you so much!" she choked out in between her sobs.

"I missed you too Mom!"

"Emma, we've got to go," James said as he kept his eye on Regina's house.

"Where's Riley?" she asked as she looked around.

"She was right behind me," Henry stated.

James pointed to the other end of the street. They looked over and saw Riley just as she kneed a guy as hard as she could in his privates. He crumpled to the ground and she looked up. She waved them on and began to run up the street.

"She is right behind us. Come on, we have to get you to safety," Emma said as she pulled Henry along. The three of them ran as fast as they could towards the apartment. James and Emma served as human shields, each of them holding one of their guns, prepared to shoot if necessary.

After what seemed like ages, the y finally reached the apartment. They sped up the stairs and James pounded on their front door. In a second Snow threw open the door. They all rushed inside. They stood there for a moment before all the adults threw their arms around Henry, initiating a group hug.

They sat there for a few minutes, all of them happy that their family was complete again. Tears were streaming down each person's face, but they were tears of joy.

The moment of peace was interrupted by the sound of gunfire, ringing through the silence.

**DUN DUN DUN!**

**I'm apologizing now for that cliffhanger.**

**The next chapter is going to be intense...I just started writing it, and I have a feeling that you guys are going to hate me...**

**As always, thank you for reading and please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Happy New Year everyone!**

**Thanks to my awesome beta, ladywolf101**

**I'm going to apologize in advance for this chapter...at least try to enjoy...**

Emma's eyes grew wide. "Riley," she said, her voice laced with horror.

James and Emma immediately pulled away and walked out the door, leaving Henry with Snow. They rushed down the stairs, and before they knew it, they were running down the street.

"Emma," James said as he pointed to something in the distance. Something that looked a lot like a body. She cursed under her breath.

She couldn't hold in the scream that escaped her lips when she saw the body. It was Riley.

The girl had a bullet hole in her side. She was lying in a dangerously large pool of blood, and her hand was pressed against her wound. Her head hung to the side, limp. Her eyes were closed, and it looked like she wasn't breathing.

"Call the hospital and get an ambulance down here. Then call August," Emma told her father as she knelt down next the body. She placed her fingers on the girl's neck, searching for a pulse. She was relieved when she found one, even though it was extremely faint. Riley wasn't dead. At least not yet.

* * *

_"You," Riley stated, her eyes narrowing._

_"Yes dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, a wicked smile on his face._

_"Why?"_

_"You know why."_

_"But I helped you find your son-"_

_"You stole the dark curse from me! You know the secret to getting everyone home!" he yelled._

_"Isn't that a good thing? I thought you wanted the curse broken."_

_"I created the curse to get me to this land. It doesn't do me any good if we all get sent back. I need my son back, and I will not let anything stand in my way."_

_Her face fell. "Including me."_

_"I can't have you running around with a secret like that, dearie. You see, I don't really trust you to keep it, speaking as you stole it from me in the first place."_

_She shook her head. "I found that! You should think about keeping valuable things like that in a safer place than your pawn shop!"_

_"You broke in, and you took it from me. And now, you're going to pay. And the beauty about this is that everyone will think that Regina was the one who ended your pathetic life. I win yet again."_

_"If you're going to kill me, then get on with it!" she screamed._

_She didn't feel the bullet as it ripped through her side. She didn't hear the sound of the gunfire. She didn't feel any pain, she was just weak. Her hand flew to her side as Rumplestiltskin disappeared. She looked down at her fingers to discover that they were already stained crimson. Her knees buckled and she slowly fell to the ground. She laid there, in a pool of her own blood. Her eyelids fluttered and she took deep breaths. Everything went black, and she felt herself slip into unconsciousness._

_Her last thoughts were about her father. She had grown to truly love him, and she knew that he felt the same about her. She knew that this would devastate him. She wished that she could speak to him one last time. She would tell him how sorry she was. She would tell him that she loved him._

_She wasn't ready to die._

_She was standing in a room that was completely white. A little boy walked up to her, and he held his hand out._

_"Tyler," she whispered._

_"It's time to go home Riley," he told her as she grabbed his outstretched hand._

* * *

Emma and James got home just as the sun began to rise. They had waited at the hospital with August for the few hours that Riley had been in surgery. They had been there when Dr. Whale had confirmed that Riley didn't make it.

Riley was dead.

Emma had never seen August so upset. He had met them at the hospital, and had completely broken down the second he had seen his daughter being wheeled in on a stretcher. The doctors didn't let him see Riley. He had curled up into a ball on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Emma had wordlessly sat next to him. She wasn't great at comforting people, but she could recognize that he didn't want to be alone. Time seemed to pass impossibly slow, and when Dr. Whale had given the bad news, she didn't know how to react. She considered the girl a friend, and now she was just gone. She had sacrificed herself to save Henry, and Emma had never been so grateful to someone in her life. She had sat there and held August's hand until his father came to get him. She hadn't left him until she knew that he had someone to look after him. She knew what he was going through. Memories of Henry's death were still fresh in her mind.

Henry was fast asleep on the couch when they walked through the front door. Snow sat next to him, and stood as soon as she saw the rest of her family.

"What happened?" she asked, noticing Emma's red rimmed eyes.

"Riley...she...she's gone. She got shot."

James slowly nodded, and Snow's hand flew to her mouth. She felt like she was going to throw up, and she knew that it had nothing to do with the baby this time.

"How is August doing?" she asked.

Emma shook her head. "Not good at all." She sat next her son on the couch and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to go see him tomorrow to help him plan the service."

Her parents nodded. "You should get some rest," Snow told her.

"We all should. The next few days are going to be rough," James stated.

Emma woke Henry up and took him upstairs to their room. Snow and James stood next to one another for a few minutes, each of them trying to comprehend what had happened that night.

Riley did not deserve to die.

Somehow they made it through the next few weeks. Everyone in town was in shock. While Riley hadn't been in Storybrooke for a lengthy amount of time, she had become a friend to many in the community during the last few months. August took her body back to California after they held a memorial service in town. He found his ex-wife very difficult to deal with, and the whole situation caused him even more stress. When he got back to town he was a completely different person. Emma missed her friend, but she knew that he had to mourn his daughter in his own way. James and Emma started working regular hours at the station again, and they slowly fell into a routine. The school opened back up and Snow and Henry developed a schedule of their own. Regina was furious about Henry's rescue, but she chose not to strike without a plan. She knew that she had a lot of work ahead of her until she would be able to get her son back again. Life was pretty much back to normal, but everyone could feel the emptiness that Riley should have been there to fill.

Every time there was a knock at the door Emma expected to see Riley on the other side, a goofy grin on her face and plan to discuss. She hadn't realized how big of a part that Riley had had in all their lives. It was strange to think that the girl was gone forever.

Riley's death deeply affected them all. She was too young to die. She had given her life for Henry. She was a hero.

Henry had always thought that good would always win. But now he wasn't so sure. Because Riley had died doing the right thing. And that was not how it was supposed to happen.

Riley was dead, and she should have been alive.

* * *

Snow knocked on August's front door. She twirled her ring, completely dreading this meeting. She hadn't told anyone about Riley's last request, and now she wished that she had.

The door opened and August stood in the entryway. He looked awful. He hadn't shaved in weeks, and it smelled as if he hadn't showered either. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were blood-shot and puffy.

"Your Majesty," he said as he leaned against the doorframe. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She pulled the envelope out of her pocket. "This is for you. Riley asked me to give it to you." His face fell as he snatched it out of her hand. She didn't know whether she should leave or not as he stared at it.

"Thank you," he whispered. She nodded and left, heading in the direction of the apartment.

He went and took a seat on the couch. He was afraid to open it. He didn't know what was going to be inside. In a burst of courage he ripped it open and pulled out a piece of paper.

Her neat handwriting covered the page. He had never realized how much he liked the look of it. He loved the way she wrote her R's. He ran his hand across the paper. He had never noticed how much pressure she had written with. It felt as if she had been making Braille markings instead of just words. He bit his lip and began to read.

**_Daddy,_**

**_If you're reading this, then that means I'm gone. I'm sorry._**

**_If you must know, I had to do it. I had to rescue Henry. It was the right thing to do. I'm sorry that our time together was cut short, but I don't regret my decision. Life is about making choices, and deciding whether to choose right or wrong. After all, you are the one that told me that._**

**_I'm not really one to get all sentimental. I do want you to know this: you are a great dad. When I was little you used to be my best friend, and over the past few months, I feel like we've gotten that relationship back. I know that I'm difficult to put up with and that I'm probably not the easiest person to live with, but I've been trying really hard to be a good daughter. I've tried to open up and trust you. And I feel like I have finally gotten to the point where you're my favorite person in the world again. I know I acted like I hated you when we first reunited, but I didn't. In fact, I loved you, and I still love you. And maybe that's why it hurt so much to lose you when I was six. Over the past ten years I've just been hurting, and you're the only one that has been able to fix that. Not having you in my life when I needed you the most was awful. It was as if there was a giant hole that only you could fill. Now I know how you're feeling right now._**

**_I'm not really good at goodbyes. I've never liked them._**

**_I'm sorry, and I'm going to miss you._**

**_Love, Riley_**

August had been holding in his sobs the entire time, but nothing could stop the tears that were running down his face. His wonderful, beautiful daughter was gone. And he missed her so much.

* * *

James had been putting extra hours in down at the station, and he was exhausted. He didn't care, as he needed something to distract his thoughts. He had too much going on in his life, and sometimes he needed to get away from it all. He practically dragged himself up the stairs to the apartment, already wanting to collapse on his bed and getting some much-needed sleep.

Snow was sound asleep when he crawled in next to her. He knew it wouldn't last long, as she was often hit with nausea in the middle of the night. Another reason why he was so tired. He placed his hand over her small baby bump, a smile spreading across his face. It always did whenever he thought about the baby.

It had definitely been a surprise. They hadn't even talked about expanding their family yet when they had found out that they were pregnant. His initial shock wore off pretty fast and was easily replaced with his pure excitement. He loved being a father. He knew that he was still pretty inexperienced, but he knew that it was a role made for him. He loved this little boy or girl so much. He remembered being this excited when they were expecting Emma. He was so eager to meet the new addition to their family. He felt like the nine months would never end.

He talked to the baby all the time. He wanted it to know his voice when it was born. He wanted to have a special connection with his son or daughter.

He rested his head right next to his wife's stomach. "Hi little one. Daddy loves you so much. Daddy is always going to protect you. So will Mommy. Mommy loves you too. Try to be nice to Mommy okay? Mommy doesn't like being sick. Mommy and Daddy can't wait to meet you. Mommy and Daddy are so excited, because Mommy and Daddy love you so much."

"James I'm not going to get any sleep if you keep talking to the baby."

He smiled and placed a few quick kiss on her baby bump. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I am just excited."

"Well can you be excited during the day?" she asked, earning a small laugh from him.

He ran his fingers through her hair as she drifted off to sleep.

It was a rough rest of the night. Snow was sick for almost two straight hours. They both were tired of spending large chunks of the nights in the bathroom. James hated seeing her sick, but there wasn't much that he could do for her.

They laid in bed for most of the morning. Snow slept with her head rested on his chest while he kept his arms wrapped around her.

"James?"

"Yeah?" he inquired.

"We have to tell her. I'm starting to show and I'm sick all the time. She's going to know something's up before too much longer. I hate keeping secrets, and we're just going to make it worse if we keep this from her any longer."

He nodded. "I agree. We'll tell her tonight."

"I'm scared that she's going to hate us," she admitted.

"We're her family. You can't hate family."

* * *

Snow and James sat at the kitchen table, each of them lost in their own thoughts. They were still thinking the same things. They were nervous about telling Emma about the new baby. They didn't want her to feel betrayed or like she was being replaced. This was definitely a complicated situation, and they weren't sure how she was going to respond to the news. The baby was going to completely change their family, and they hoped that Emma was ready for that. In the end they just wanted her to be happy. They loved her just as much as they loved the new baby. They just wanted the best for their children.

They were waiting for her to get home from the station. She had been working all day and it was starting to get late, so they knew that she was due back any moment.

They heard the click of the lock, and each of them took a deep breath. It was going to be a long night.

Emma entered the apartment looking exhausted. "Hey," she mumbled when she saw that her parents had waited up for her. "Is Henry asleep?"

"He went to bed about an hour ago," Snow answered. Emma nodded and moved to climb the stairs to her room. "Emma, wait. There's something important that we need to talk about."

Emma sighed. "Can't I just go to bed?"

James shook his head. "Sit."

Emma rolled her eyes as she took a seat at the table.

Snow took a deep breath. James reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Emma, I want you to know that we love you no matter what, and nothing changes that."

"Whatever you have to say, just say it," Emma stated.

"Emma, I-I'm pregnant. Your father and I are having a baby."

She stared at them for a few moments, her face blank. "You know, I'm not stupid. You seem to forget that I have a kid."

"I'm not sure we know what you mean," James said.

"I figured it out weeks ago! I know the signs, I mean I've been pregnant myself, and you guys really didn't try that hard to hide it. I've been hoping that I was wrong, but then again, these things don't get past me. I don't know what makes me more angry, the fact that you don't trust me and kept it a secret for weeks, or that you are trying to replace me."

"We are not trying to replace you Emma. We love you so much," Snow told her.

"That doesn't matter. You just want a baby to raise and love, and you guys are just upset that you missed out on my childhood. This kid gives you the chance to be parents. Let's face the facts, you're going to love it more than me. Because I'm screwed up, and this way, you can raise a kid exactly how you want to, and they will be nothing like me."

"Emma you know that's not true-"

"Yes it is! Stop trying to make up excuses, I'm not an idiot," she snapped, cutting off her mother. "And you know, it doesn't make me feel any better that you kept it from me. You always push me to be open with you and I think I've done a pretty good job, yet you aren't willing to do the same for me. It's pathetic."

"We just didn't want to overwhelm you with everything that was going on with Henry," James explained.

"Do not use my son as an excuse for the fact that you two are cowards! I don't know much about family, but I do know that you don't keep secrets from each other. But I guess that doesn't matter for us, because we aren't really a family. We are just people who share DNA. Henry is my true family. I care about him and he cares about me. You two just care about getting to raise a kid because that's the only thing you've ever wanted. You didn't sign up for a twenty-eight year old. I was kidding myself if I ever thought that you actually wanted to be my parents. You don't even know what to do with me. I finally think that maybe I was worth something and that I wasn't just trash on the side of the road, but I was wrong. You two tossed me away and now you're finally ready to have the family that you've always wanted. I should have known that you'd replace me, I mean it's not really much of a surprise. I should have expected this much from people who don't really love me-"

"Emma stop it right NOW!" James yelled as he banged his fist on the table. Snow was silently sobbing and Emma had her fingers curled into fists.

"What are you going to do? Are you going beat me to a pulp because I've stepped out of line? Because that's what I'm used to. That's the life you gave me. I'm trash, and I'm sorry if that doesn't meet your standards. I've tried to be a good daughter, but I never thought that you guys would actually try to replace me. Boy was I wrong. If you loved me at all you would not have gone and gotten knocked up. Now I know how you really feel about me."

She stood and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Moments later it swung open once more.

"I never wanted you to have another kid. And I still don't. Next time, use protection."

She exited once more, leaving a stunned Snow and James behind. Snow slowly rose from the table and walked to their bedroom. James followed her and closed the door behind him.

She was curled into a ball on the bed, shaking with silent sobs. James sat next to her and pulled her into his arms. He rocked her back and forth as he tried to hold his own tears in. His shoulder was wet with her tears just moments later. He mumbled words of love in an attempt to calm her down. He hated seeing her like this.

"She hates us James. Absolutely hates us. She thinks that we don't love her."

"I know sweetheart. It hurts so much."

"I love her so much James."

"I know you do. I love her too."

"She's our daughter James! How can she think that she isn't good enough for us? I think she's absolutely perfect. I would do anything for her. I love her so much!"

He couldn't hold his tears in any longer. He cried with his wife. "I feel the same way. She just needs time to get used to the idea. She'll come around, I know it."

She looked into his eyes. "But what if she doesn't? What if she just hates us for the rest of her life?"

"Hey," he said as he wiped some of her tears away. "She is just saying these things because she feels hurt. But she knows that we love her, and I know that she loves this family. It's all going to be okay."

* * *

Whenever it was especially hard to deal with Riley's death, August found himself at a bar. Sometimes drinking was the only way he could forget how much he missed his daughter. And yet it still didn't take the pain away. But it sure helped.

It was already late and most of the bars in town were closed, but August didn't care. He had to get out of the house. He headed down to a dingy bar that was open all night. He never came here, as it was in a bad part of town and he preferred Granny's, but tonight it would have to do. As he entered, he noticed a very familiar person sitting at the counter.  
She was hunched over three empty glasses and had a fourth in her hand. Her blonde curls covered her face, but he could tell that she was angry. He took a seat next to her and ordered a drink. She didn't even acknowledge his existence.

"Hey Emma," he said. He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to talk to the sheriff.

She turned to him. "What brings you here?"

She was getting right to the point. "I'm grieving."

"You aren't going to find any comfort in the bottom of a glass."

"Says the woman who's on her fourth scotch."

"I'm not looking for comfort. I just needed a few drinks to get me through the rest of this night."

He chuckled. "And what would make Emma Swan have to come to a bar in the middle of the night? You're not exactly a heavy drinker."

"Not much makes me turn to alcohol in order to temporarily forget my problems."

"And what would?"

She looked him dead in the eye. "My mother is pregnant," she told him, proceeding to drain the rest of her current glass.

"Are you serious?"

"Yep. They are finally getting the family they always wanted, so lucky them. I'm just surprised that it took them this long to replace me."

"They aren't replacing you Emma."

She laughed. "How can you be so sure?"

"You seem to forget that I knew them when I was a boy. I know that they love you. They did everything that they could to protect you. My father took me to those meetings, and I saw the worry and pain in their eyes when they talked about you. And you do remember how your mother reacted when she found out that I took her spot in the wardrobe. She was furious. They wouldn't replace you Emma, because they care about you too much."

"Either way, that doesn't make me happy about it."

"Well sitting here drinking isn't going to do much for you," he stated.

"It will make me feel better. That's all I need right now."

He finished his drink. "Here's what we're going to do. We both want to feel better tonight, I mean, that why we're here. So I'm going to get us a couple of shots, and we are going to talk about anything but your parents and my daughter."

She smiled. "I like that plan."

"Well alright. Let's get this party started."

**Please don't hate me! **

**Trust me I will explain what's going on between Rumplestiltskin and Riley...and you know, she could come back in a flashback...**

**I know there was a ton of stuff going on in this chapter, and trust me, it's just going to get more complicated.**

**Please review...even if it's just to yell at me...**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thank you for your responses to last chapter!**

**ladywolf101 was absolutely amazing with this chapter. Seriously, I couldn't have done it without you.**

**Enjoy!**

Emma had no idea where she was when she woke up. She couldn't even remember how she got here. Her memories from last night were really hazy, but she knew that she had only herself to blame. She cursed herself for being stupid enough to get so wasted. The last thing she remembered was that she was at the bar an August was there. They were talking, and then they kissed...

She sat straight up and swore as loudly as she could.

She noticed that there was water running in the bathroom, and that she was in a hotel room. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was half past eight. She cursed, as she was running late for work. She quickly grabbed her clothes off of the floor and pulled them on as fast as she could. Her head was pounding, and she remembered how much she hated hangovers. She left the hotel room and headed towards the station. She knew that he would want to talk about what happened between them, so she decided to avoid him at all costs. It was stupid what they had done. They had only wanted to escape from their problems, and it didn't really mean anything. Sure she was attracted to August, but that was it. She only ever had one-nighters. And it was going to stay that way.

Once she was seated behind her desk she pulled her phone out. Twenty-seven missed calls, all from her parents. She wasn't surprised, as she had stormed off last night and hadn't bothered to come home. Plus she hadn't even given them a clue as to where she was. Not that she was going to tell them.

Her head was killing her, so she laid down on her desk, using her arms as pillows. She knew that she wouldn't get any work done today, so she might as well try to sleep off this hangover.

The sound of her phone ringing woke her up, much to her annoyance. She groaned as she answered, without even bothering to check the caller I.D.

"Hello?"

"Emma!" It was August. Crap.

"I don't really feel like talking about it August. What's done is done."

"I know, I know, but I was wondering if I could come see you. You left in such a hurry that we really didn't get to talk."

"That was kind of the point."

He sighed. "I know, but please? There are just a few things that I really need to say."

"I'm talking to you right now. Just spit it out." She had forgotten how cranky she was when she was hungover."

"Okay. Last night was fun. I really enjoyed spending time with you and I was wondering if maybe you and I could-"

"Let me stop you right there. Yeah last night was fun, but it's over. It was meaningless, and it probably shouldn't have happened. We are just friends who made a mistake. That's all we are ever going to be. We were both just upset, and we sought comfort from each other. That's not a bad thing, because we are both adults and can handle it, but it's over. It didn't mean a thing. Now, I'm really done talking about it do can we just move on?"

He sighed. "Yeah. Okay. Whatever you want. I just don't want it to ruin anything between us." She could hear the hurt in his voice, but she chose to ignore it.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"I-I um...I don't want it to ruin our friendship."

She wasn't stupid. She could see that he hoped that me day they would get together. But he should have known that she was not the type of person who ever wanted to be in a committed relationship. "August, it won't. As long as we keep it at a friendship level," she told him, hoping that she had made herself perfectly clear.

"Okay. Good. Well, I also wanted to tell you that I still have the key to that room at Granny's. It's yours if you want to stay there while you're sorting your stuff out at home."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine. I can deal with it."

"Okay. Emma, you do know that I'm here if you need anything, right?"

She smiled. "I know. Thanks. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Emma."

She disconnected the call and sighed. Her plan of avoiding August was not going so well. But she wasn't that disappointed.

* * *

Emma hadn't come home last night. She hadn't answered any of their calls. Snow was worried. Emma definitely was someone with a temper, but she never acted this way. She always was aggressive when it came to fighting back, and Snow wasn't used to her acting so passive. She hated getting the silent treatment from her daughter. She knew that they weren't going to work anything out if Emma ignored them. She just wished that she would come home. It would make everything so much easier.

Henry had asked about her, and they had told him that she was working on a case. They hated lying to him, but Snow knew that is was for the best. He couldn't know what was going on. He couldn't know that Emma hated her parents.

James sat with him as he ate his breakfast. He had practically forced Snow to go back to bed, as lack of sleep wasn't good for her or their baby. But she couldn't sleep. She had too many thoughts running through her head. She just wanted her daughter back. She knew that she wouldn't be able to rest until Emma was home, so she got up and quickly dressed. She knew that James would put up a fight, but she was going to go look for her daughter whether he liked it or not.

It took a lot of negotiating, but eventually she made it out the door. She decided to head to the station, as it was very likely that Emma was hiding out there. The patrol car wasn't there when Snow arrived, but she decided to wait inside until Emma got back. The door was unlocked and she took a seat behind one of the deputy's desks. She drummed her fingers on the table as she waited.

The door opened and Emma walked in, sipping a large cup of hot chocolate. She held a file in her hand and was reading it as she walked, so she didn't look up until she had reached her office. Just as she was about to go in and take a much-needed nap, she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye. She rolled her eyes as her mother stood. She continued into her office, shutting the door behind her.

Snow entered right behind her. "Emma, we need to talk."

"I'm busy."

Snow wasn't fooled. Emma had set her file down and wasn't even looking at anything. "Emma, you can't just ignore us."

"Yes I can."

"Running off in the middle of the night and not coming home won't solve your problems."

"Worked fine last night."

"Your father and I were really worried about you."

"You shouldn't be."

Snow felt like she was about to snap. "Emma please just TALK to me! Stop with these short sentences and actually have a conversation with me! I care about your feelings, and I am just trying to understand how you are feeling. But I can't do that if you completely shut me out."

"Look my head is killing me, and I really don't want to deal with this right now," she whined. "I just want to go to sleep. So please...just leave," she sighed as she massaged her temples.

"Emma I am not going to do that. You told your father and me, in no uncertain terms, that you think that we don't love you and that we are replacing you. Can you even comprehend how that made us feel? It hurt Emma! I am truly sorry that you feel this way, but what do you want me to do? I don't know how to make this right, and I don't know how to get you to stop hating me!"

"I don't want to talk about this right now..." she told her mother as she held her hands over her eyes. Her headache was just getting worse the more Snow talked.

"Emma you need to stop avoiding this. We need to talk about it."

"Please go..." she whined. She felt like she was about to snap.

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

Emma had had enough. She couldn't hold herself together anymore. "I don't want you to have another kid alright! Call me selfish, but you aren't going to want me when you have a brand new kid to take care of. I don't want to share my parents! Okay, I said it. I don't want to share my mom and dad. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Emma yelled. She was standing across from Snow with only her desk in between them. She glared at her mother as she spoke.

Snow took a deep breath. She felt like she was about to cry, but she held it in. She didn't know what she could say to her daughter. She finally knew how Emma felt about them. Emma wanted her and James. But that didn't change the fact that Emma was still hurt, and Snow didn't know what to do. After all, she was still learning how to be a mother. "Emma, I'm sorry you feel that way, but there is nothing I can do. I am having a baby in less than six months, and you are just going to have to get used to the idea. I wish there was something I could do, but I can't. Just please try to understand that we are in no way trying to replace you. We love you just as much as the baby. You are our daughter, and nothing changes that. Nothing about you would make us not want you. We wanted to raise you, we just didn't get the chance. And yes, I am excited for the new baby. But guess what? I was just as excited for you. Because I loved you the moment I knew you existed, and don't you dare try to tell me otherwise," she stated, her voice soft. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Snow turned and moved to exit Emma's office.

"Did I tell you what happened when I was three years old?" she whispered.

She turned back to face her daughter. "No. You didn't."

"I had a family that took me in when I was a few months old. They loved me. They cared for me. They were good to me. They were my family. I loved them. But when I was three they had a set of twins. And do you know what they did to me? They sent me back. They pretended that they loved me for three years, when in reality, they were just waiting until something better came along. And that it exactly what is happening here, don't even try to deny it. You've just been waiting for a kid that you can actually raise, and now that you have one, you don't need me anymore."

A tear ran down Emma's face. Snow reached out to her, but she just backed away.

Snow ran her hands down her face. She sighed. "Emma, we are different than those people. We are your parents-"

"I treated those people like they were my parents and that didn't change anything."

"We've always loved and wanted you. There hasn't ever been any question about it. We aren't looking for something better, because you are PERFECT in our eyes-"

"Don't say things like that."

"Emma, you are everything that we've ever wanted, and more. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

Emma shook her head. "Look, I've been replaced one too many times. And I'm sick and tired of it. I really don't want to hear what you have to say, because it doesn't matter. In a few months, I'm not going to matter anymore. So please stop telling me that that won't happen, because I know that it will. I've learned a hard lesson from the system, but at least I can I'm smart enough to apply it to my life. Now I would appreciate it, Mother, if you would get out of my office and leave me alone."

Snow realized that she had lost this battle. She started to leave when she looked back at Emma. "You know, Emma, I'm doing the best that I can. I'm so sorry that I can't make you feel loved," she said as she choked back a sob. She walked out, closing the door behind her. She wiped away the tears that had started to fall. As she left the station, the last thing she heard was the sounds of her daughter's sobs coming from the office.

* * *

Snow and James walked hand-in-hand towards the hospital. They had their first doctor's appointment today, as it had been difficult to schedule one while they were looking for Henry.

Emma hadn't spoken to either one of them in two days. She came home each night, but she refused to eat dinner with them or interact in any way. They chose not to push her, as neither of them wanted to face another blow-up. Emma was giving them the silent treatment, and they just had to learn how to deal with it. They both knew that she would come around eventually, they just needed to be patient.

They arrived at the hospital in no time, and James signed them in. Snow was relieved when she had found out that Doc had been the OBGYN before the curse broke, because she knew that there was no way that she could face Dr. Whale after everything that had happened between them.

It was hard to be excited after everything that had occurred between them and Emma. Every time she thought about the baby she thought about how upset Emma was. But she pushed all those negative thoughts out of her mind. Today was about this baby and making sure at he or she was happy and healthy.

Doc was waiting for them back in the exam room. They greeted their old friend with a hug and huge smiles.

"Alright James, I hate to be a party pooper, but this first part is just for mom. I'll call you back when we have the ultrasound okay?" Doc said.

James nodded and kissed Snow's forehead. "See you in a few." He headed out to the waiting room and took a seat. He flipped through a magazine but nothing really interested him. Suddenly his phone rang, and he was completely shocked when he saw the caller I.D.

He answered right away. "Emma?"

"Where did you put the files for the robbery from last month?" Her voice was absent of any emotion.

"On your desk," he answered. He wished she had called to talk about something other than a work problem.

"They aren't there."

"Did you check the filing cabinets?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't know where they are. Do you need me to run down there and help you look?"

She paused. "No."

"Okay." She immediately hung up. He shook his head. He just wished that she wasn't so distant.

A nurse came and got him and he headed back to the exam room. Snow was lying on the table, and he immediately walked over to her and took her hand in his.

Doc came back into the room holding a folder. He wrote a few things down and then looked up with a smile. "So far everything looks great guys. We're just going to do an ultrasound and then you're good to go." It only took a few minutes for Doc to get everything set up. They kept their eyes trained on the screen, their excitement building. They were about to see their baby for the first time. Doc smiled. "Okay guys, there's the little Charming."

James and Snow were beaming. "Is it a boy or girl?" he asked.

"We will determine that at eighteen weeks, which will be your next appointment."

"I don't care if it's a boy or a girl. He or she is perfect," Snow told James. He noticed that she was crying, and he felt tears pooling in his own.

"Yes they are. Look sweetheart, it's sucking its thumb," he said. She laughed. He leaned down and kissed her. "Thank you for making a perfect baby."

Doc handed them a few pictures that he printed off. "These are for you guys. I'll get an appointment scheduled in four weeks. Have a wonderful day," he stated with a grin as he left them alone.

They sat next to each other on the exam table with the pictures in their hands. They each had tear-stained cheeks and they were beaming. They couldn't tear their eyes away from their little boy or girl.

They couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they walked down the street. They didn't care.

As soon as they got home James took on of the pictures and stuck it on the fridge with a magnet. His face broke into a grin as he put his arm around his wife. "That's our little Charming."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Yeah. Our little Charming."

* * *

Emma was good at holding grudges. In fact, she had held one against her parents for twenty-eight years. But that didn't mean that she liked it. In reality, she hated staying mad at people. She wished that she could be someone who could just forgive and forget without a problem, but years in the foster system had molded her into a completely different person. She said and did things when she was angry that she often wished that she could take back, but she never did. She was too prideful to bend to an apologetic level. Not that it ever mattered. Her wall kept out others, and she never had to defend her decisions. Instead she acted however she wanted to without any concern for the consequences, and it had no effect on her life whatsoever. Until now. Now she had people she cared about in her life, and she didn't want to hurt them. She knew that she had treated them terribly and had said some hurtful things, but she didn't know how to make up for it. She had never been in this position before. She felt sorry, but she didn't know how to show them. She wanted to be a bigger person and take responsibility for the things that she had done, but she didn't know how to. She knew that she had wronged her parents, but she didn't know how to make this right. She had trapped herself in a place where she had never intended to be.

When she got home that night her family was in the middle of playing a card game. They awkwardly paused when she entered the apartment, but she ignored them as she climbed the stairs to her room. She sat on her bed and pulled out a few work files and looked them over. She was tired of cutting herself off from her family, but she didn't know how to jump back into their daily lives.

Henry came upstairs after what seemed like an eternity. He was already in his pajamas when he climbed into bed next to her. She collected all of her papers into a pile and placed them on her dresser. She returned to pull the covers up to her son's chin.

"Did you remember to brush your teeth?"

"Yep."

"Good boy," she said as she tousled his hair. "Now get some sleep."

"Emma?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so upset with your parents?" he asked.

She sighed. "It's complicated Henry. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me. I'm a pretty smart kid."

"I know that, but I don't want you to have to worry about my problems."

He rolled his eyes. "I can't just ignore what's going on, if that what you're asking. It's making everything weird. You won't talk to them and they don't talk to you. We never spend time as a family anymore, and I miss having everyone together. I feel like we are splitting apart, and I don't like it one bit."

She sunk down onto the bed. "Henry, I don't want to burden you with things like that. I'm just having a disagreement with your grandparents, and we are going to work it out in our own way."

"Does this have to do with my uncle or aunt? Because I'm excited that there will be a new member of the family. I think it will be fun to be a nephew."

Emma sighed. "Henry..."

"You should be excited. Because you're going to get to be a big sister. Someone's going to look up to you and need you. Don't you want that? Another family member just means more love. They aren't going to take love away from you to give it to someone else. Your parents aren't replacing you, they are just adding to the family."

"When did you get so smart?" she questioned.

He shrugged and smiled. "Please just make up with your parents. I want things to go back to the way they used to be."

The corners of her mouth turned upward. "Okay, I will."

"Pinky promise?"

She wrapped her pinky around his outstretched finger. "Pinky promise."

She read to him until he fell asleep, which didn't take too long. She sat in bed for a while, trying to gather her thoughts. She needed to make up with her parents, but she didn't know how. She decided to go downstairs and get some hot chocolate. She needed to clear her head.

The kitchen was empty when she got downstairs. She heard voices coming from her parents' bedroom. She wasn't about to eavesdrop, but she heard her name, and next thing she knew she had her ear pressed against the door.

"What are we going to do about Emma, James?"

"We need to be patient Snow. She needs to sort through this. It's a lot to handle, and I want to give her time to process it."

"But James, this is killing me. She isn't just my daughter, she is my best friend. I can't stand not talking to her. I don't feel complete without her in my life," she heard her mother say.

Snow must have been crying, because she heard her father say some soothing things. "I know it's hard sweetheart, but we just need to have faith that she will come back to us. I miss her too, but I'm not going to force her to be happy with us. She has every right to be mad. We weren't careful, and even though this is a wonderful addition to our family, it's coming at a complicated time. We need to make sure that we work on our relationship with our daughter and let her know how much we love her. That is our first priority."

Emma backed away from the door. She had missed her parents as well. She noticed that she had tears streaming down her face. Hearing her mother say that she was her best friend had really touched Emma. She felt the same way about her mother. In that moment she realized what she really wanted. She just wanted her mom.

She opened the door and walked right in, much to her parents' surprise.

"Emma, what-" Snow tried to say, but was cut off when Emma threw her arms around her. She immediately returned the gesture.

Emma sobbed into her mother's shoulder. "I just want my mom," she whimpered.

"I'm here. I've got you."

Emma pulled away after a few minutes. Snow wiped the tears off of her daughter's face. "I have a few things that I want to get off my chest."

"Whatever you want darling. We are all ears."

Emma took a deep breath. Snow sat down next to James on the bed.

"Okay. I've been in the foster system since the day I was born. I lived in twelve different houses in sixteen years. I'm used to people giving up on me. My foster parents would get tired of me, and they would send me away so they could get a new kid. Preferably someone who behaved or was smarter or all around better. I was the lowest of the low. I was the kid that no one wanted. My social worker could barely find homes for me to go to, and they usually were horrible. They treated me like crap, because that is what I was. I was trash found on the side of the road, and no one was going to treat me like I was better than that. I had no one there for me for my whole life because I was worthless. And I believed it. I hated myself. I figured that I didn't deserve love in my life because my own parents couldn't give it to me. I was alone and miserable for twenty-eight years. And then I moved to Storybrooke. Suddenly I had a son who loved me and a best friend and I was happy. I had people who cared about me, and I had a place to call home. I thought it was too good to be true. And then the curse broke. I finally had parents who not only loved me but actually wanted me. They didn't throw me away like garbage. They sent me away to protect me. They gave me my best chance. They gave up everything so that I would have the chance to live. I had no idea how to respond, because I still thought of myself as worthless. But I learned how to be a daughter, and I loved it. I loved having parents. I loved my mother and father. But then I found out that you were expecting a baby. And it scared me. Because something deep down inside me knew that this wonderful life was too good to be true. Automatically I felt like I was being replaced. Because I've always wondered how you two could want me. I'm damaged. I am the farthest thing from perfect. I'm the kid that no one has ever wanted before, so why should it be any different now? You guys wanted to raise me and be a family, but that was taken from you. But now you would have the chance, so of course that baby will mean more to you. You will get to raise it how you want, and you will be able to give it your love every day. It is going to grow up with amazing parents. So I got jealous. I didn't think it was fair that I was miserable my entire life, and that I never even knew my parents. I didn't think it was fair that I didn't get to be raised by the best mother and father that I can imagine. My entire childhood I craved that love and affection, and I never got it. I was afraid of being replaced, but I was blinded my jealousy. I was selfish, because I didn't want to share you two. I wanted my mom and dad all to myself. I was hurt and afraid of what the future was going to look like. I didn't want two people that I care about to replace me. I just couldn't go through that again. So I lashed out. I was angry. There was something deep inside me that kept telling me that I was still that worthless little girl that no one wanted. I convinced myself that you didn't love me. I knew that was untrue, but it made it easier. I've been putting up walls my whole life because it keeps out pain. I had taught myself since I was little that love only caused pain, and that it was weakness. But I'm sick and tired of pushing people away. It has taken me a long time to tear my walls down, and I don't want to put them back up. Because love is strength. My love for my son and for you guys and the love that you give to me makes me strong. It makes me happy. Our family is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love it. What I really want to say is that I've been acting stupid and selfish over the past few days. That is unfair to this family. I need to grow up and learn that you two aren't like the horrible people that raised me. You love me and would never do anything to hurt me. I know that now. I'm really, really sorry, and I hope that you will be able to forgive me."

Emma hadn't realized that she was pacing. She stopped and turned to face her parents. Snow and James each had tears running down their cheeks.

Snow stood and crossed the space in between her and her daughter. She placed her hands on Emma's cheeks and brushed away some of her baby girl's tears. "Oh Emma," she whispered as she pulled her into a hug. James walked up and wrapped his arms around them. Emma buried her head in her mother's neck and cried.

After a moment Emma pulled back and smiled. "I do have something for you. Think of it as a sort of peace offering." She exited the bedroom and quickly climbed the stairs. She returned a minute later carrying a cardboard box. Her parents were waiting patiently in their bedroom. She set the box on the bed and pulled the tape off. Snow noticed that it was labeled 'PRIVATE'.

"Emma, what's in that box?" she asked.

"Well, I didn't keep much from my childhood, but I do have a few things." She opened the box and rifled around for a moment. "I was going to give this to Henry when he was born, but I never got the chance. And he wouldn't get any use out of it now. Here it is!" She pulled out a small brown teddy bear with black button eyes. It was old, but it was obvious that it had been taken care of. Emma held it in her hands with a smile on her face. "When I was one my social worker gave it to me for Christmas. It wasn't really special, because all of the kids in the system got them. But I loved this bear. I named him Teddy once I learned how to talk. Original, I know." She held it out to Snow. "I want you to have him."

Snow's mouth fell open. "Emma I can't take your teddy bear."

"I want you to. Give it to my little brother or sister." Snow took the bear from Emma's outstretched hand with a smile.

"Thank you Emma. You don't know how much this means," Snow said.

James nodded. "You're going to be a great big sister, Emma. I can already tell."

"I'm not really the nurturing type," she replied, causing both her parents to chuckle. "And do not expect me to babysit all the time."

**So that was an emotionally packed chapter...hope you enjoyed!**

**Please review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**I know its been a while since I've updated. School started back up, and I had the worst writer's block. But once I got going I ended up loving this chapter.**

**ladywolf101 is the best beta I could ask for. Thanks for motivating me, brainstorming with me, and simply being amazing. This chapter would not have happened without your help.**

**I want to thank you all for your reviews and responses to my story. You have no idea how much I love hearing from my amazing viewers!**

**Enjoy!**

Emma walked down the street next to the rest of her family. They had decided to go out for a Monday night dinner as an early celebration of Emma's birthday. She still couldn't believe that she actually had people to celebrate with this year, and she was glad that they decided to keep it small. She was looking forward to spending Tuesday just with her family.

James and Henry headed inside, and Emma moved to follow them, but Snow pulled her aside.

"I wasn't supposed to ruin it, but I didn't want you to walk in there blindly."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Snow bit her lip. "Please don't hate me Emma..."

"You didn't."

"I couldn't resist!"

"You know I don't like things like this."

Snow sighed. "I know, but it's not my fault that I wanted to throw my daughter a birthday party."

Emma couldn't argue with that. She rolled her eyes. "You owe me."

"I'll make you French toast tomorrow."

"And bacon."

"Deal," Snow said with a smile. "And don't forget to act surprised."

They walked into the diner together. The lights were all turned out, and Emma could see the outlines of people trying to hide.

"Where is everyone?" Emma asked dramatically, shooting a glance at her mother.

The lights turned on and everyone jumped out of their hiding spots. "SURPRISE!"

Emma broke into a huge grin. "Wow you guys! I had no idea!" She saw Snow roll her eyes.

Henry ran up. "Are you surprised?"

"Definitely! You did a good job of hiding it," she told him, causing a smile to spread across his face.

"It wasn't easy," he stated.

"I bet." She ruffled his hair. "Hey Henry, I've got to go talk to some of the other guests okay? Why don't you go get some food and I'll join you in a bit." He nodded and bounded over to the counter.

Emma made her way over to the attractive man in the leather jacket who was standing next to his father and Jiminy. He broke away as soon as he saw her approach him.

"Happy Birthday Emma. Were you surprised?" he asked with a smirk. She could tell that he knew that she was faking it.

"My mother spilled the beans right before we came in."

"I knew that she wasn't to be trusted," he stated, causing her to laugh. "So are you at least somewhat enjoying the party?"

She shrugged. "They aren't really my thing, but it's actually not too bad. Plus it makes my son and my parents happy, so I'm happy."

"Whoa, I didn't know you were this caring."

"Ha ha very funny."

He smiled. "You know it is."

"Not really but I'll let you think that." He laughed in response, and she quickly grinned at him. She was used to their playful banter, and she genuinely enjoyed it. Despite everything that had happened between them, he was still one of her closest friends. He was easy to talk to and she always looked forward to seeing him. Although, she could tell that something had changed in him. While he still acted like his old self on the outside, it was obvious that he was deeply affected by losing his daughter. Emma wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. He was very similar to her in the sense that they both closed off their emotions to the world. She hated seeing his false smile, and she was determined to do everything possible to get the old August back. However, she wanted to be able to focus on him, so she decided that it would be best to see if he wanted to get dinner sometime so that they could talk. "Hey August," she said, feeling a bit nervous. She had rarely asked a guy out, so she didn't really know what to do. "I was thinking that sometime we should get dinner."

He raised his eyebrow. "Is Emma Swan asking me out?"

She shrugged. "If you want to put a label on it, then yes, I guess so. But I really just want to spend some time with my friend. That's all."

A small smile spread across his lips. "Okay. Well I am free anytime next week, so just let me know when you want to get together."

"Okay then. I'll have to get back to you," she told him. She heard her mother call her name from across the diner, so she regretfully had to end their conversation. "I'll have to talk to you later August."

"Sounds like a plan. Happy Birthday Emma. I'm looking forward to our date."

She rolled her eyes as she walked away. There was something about August that she liked. She didn't know how, but the puppet had definitely grown on her, and she was perfectly okay with that.

* * *

The party had been going great, but it was coming to a close. The guests had slowly started to leave, and only their closest friends remained. Henry and James were busy eating desserts while Emma talked with some of the dwarves. Snow and Red sat at the counter, engrossed in a conversation.

"Red, thanks for letting us have Emma's party here at the diner," Snow told her friend.

Red smiled. "It was my pleasure. Granny was easy to convince. She loves you guys just as much as I do."

"I'm just glad that Emma is enjoying herself. I was a little worried about how she would react to a surprise party. It not really her thing. But it was Henry's idea, and I would be lying if I said that I didn't want to throw her a party."

"This is the first birthday you've gotten to celebrate with her. Of course you want to make it special."

Snow smiled. "She's going to be twenty-nine on Tuesday. My baby is twenty-nine."

"Well you don't look a day over thirty. What's your secret?" Red teased with a smirk on her face. Snow laughed.

"Being frozen in time will do that to you."

Red chuckled, but then her face morphed into a more serious expression. "I know it's been a few months, but how are you guys adjusting to being a family?"

"It's difficult, I'm not going to lie. Emma has a lot of emotions that she has buried for so long, and so we've been trying to deal with that. She has this wall, and I've been doing my best to knock it down. It isn't easy, but I think she is slowly starting to actually trust us. I mean, she's opened up to me as a friend before, but now it's like she is finally accepting that I'm her mother and I'm not some horrible woman who didn't want her."

"You can't really expect her to jump on board right away. It's not exactly the most normal situation."

"No it's not. Sometimes I think it's a good thing that we are the same age. I feel like I can relate to her more, and I feel like she also understands where I'm coming from when I talk to her. But at the same time, we butt heads easily."

"You are stubborn and so is she. Honestly, I've never met two people more alike."

Snow laughed. "That's what James says."

Red grinned. "So at the end of the day, you guys are happy all together?"

"We really are. We love Emma and Henry and I know that they love us."

"I'm happy for you, Snow."

She smiled at her friend. "Red, I have something to tell you."

"Spill."

"James and I are expecting another baby."

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?" Red loudly exclaimed, quickly slapping her hand over her mouth. But it was too late. The room was silent and Snow could feel every pair of eyes in the room looking at her. "I'm sorry," Red mouthed.

All at once everyone in the room made their way over to Snow to congratulate her. James stood next to her as they took their friends' congratulations. Suddenly the royal couple was the new focus of the party.

Emma sat in a booth by herself as she watched all of the guests crowd around her parents. She was okay with the whole baby thing, but that didn't mean she wasn't a little jealous. Everyone was so excited about her sibling that she had been pushed to the sidelines. This was what she was afraid of. She had been one-upped her entire life, and she should have expected nothing less. She had been having such a great time too. No one had ever thrown her a birthday party before, and she had to admit that she liked the fact that her family had made such an effort to make her birthday special. But she should have guessed that it wouldn't last.

She grabbed her coat and slipped out the door before anyone noticed she was gone. She found herself at the apartment after a few minutes, and she poured herself a drink as she took a seat at the table. She wasn't angry, she was just a little hurt. It was supposed to be her party, not a baby shower for her mother. She knew that she was being immature, but she didn't care.

She heard a knock at the door but she made no move to answer it. The door cracked open and her mother stood in the entryway. She bit her lip as she slowly walked across the room to stand next to her daughter.

"Emma, I am so so sorry. I didn't know that Red was going to practically announce it to the world, or I wouldn't have said anything. It was your party, and it was not fair to have it made all about me."

Emma sipped her drink and stared straight ahead. "I wasn't even upset about that. I was just tired," she lied.

Snow looked at the ground. "I'm so sorry Emma."

"You already said that."

"I'm not talking about the party."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you talking about?"

"Everything. I'm sorry that you have to pretend to be okay with this when you aren't. I'm sorry that I've put you in such a difficult position. It's not fair to ask you embrace this situation. I just never want you to feel like you're second place, because you're not."

"It's okay. I'm a big girl, I can deal with any issues I have. And I know I'm not second place. I mean, you showed me that tonight. I've never had anyone who wanted to celebrate my birthday. Actually, I usually spend it alone, because I have no one to spend it with. It means a lot that you went to all this trouble just for me."

Snow took a seat next to Emma. "It wasn't trouble. I wanted to do it."

"I'm just glad that you decided not to go with a ball."

She laughed. "It was a tough choice, but I figured you weren't really a fan of frilly dresses."

Emma shrugged. "There is literally nothing appealing about them."

"Now if you had grown up back home, you wouldn't be saying that."

"Oh please, you know that I would have just worn leather and played with swords all the time."

"I can definitely see that." Emma smiled, and Snow returned the gesture. "Listen, the party was pretty much over anyway. How about we stay here and have a movie night instead? I'll make hot chocolate and cookies..."

"As long as we don't watch one of those cheesy romantic comedies that Mary Margaret was such a fan of."

"Those movies are the best kind!"

"I'm the birthday girl. I get to pick."

"Technically your birthday is not until tomorrow," Snow stated with a smirk.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You don't get to play that card. You have twenty-eight birthdays to make up for. It wouldn't hurt to start now."

Snow dramatically sighed. "Well I can't argue with that."

* * *

Emma awoke to the smell of French toast and the sound of the sizzling of bacon. She couldn't hide the smile on her face as she sat up and stretched. She had fallen asleep on the couch after watching movies with Snow for half of the night. She noticed that Snow had placed a blanket on her after she had passed out. She was grateful, as it was a little chilly in the apartment. She stood and headed to the kitchen.

October twenty-third had always been like every other day to her. But she knew that today was going to be extra special. She knew that her parents, especially her mother, were bubbling with excitement. She knew that they couldn't wait to celebrate, not that she was complaining. She had never really had a great birthday, and she was eager to spend the day with people that not only loved her, but she loved them. It was strange knowing that today was her special day, and that her family was going to make the day all about her. Twenty-nine wasn't even that important of a birthday, but she had a feeling that she would never forget this one.

"I'm glad to see that you're keeping up with your end of the bargain," she said as she entered the kitchen. Snow turned at the sound of her voice, and her mother's face immediately brightened.

"Well I made a promise to you, didn't I?" She finished up the piece of French toast she was working on, and set her utensils on the counter. She walked over to Emma and pulled her into a hug. "Happy Birthday Emma."

Emma smiled at her mother. "How often are you going to do that today?"

"Whenever I feel like it, which is all the time."

Emma rolled her eyes. "It's not that big of a deal."

"It's the first birthday that I get to spend with my daughter. It is a very big deal," Snow stated with a grin as she got back to work. She dished up a plate and set it in front of Emma.

She immediately dug in and marveled at how delicious all the food was. "How did you become such a good cook?" she asked in between bites.

Snow shrugged. "It just comes natural to me."

"Well you obviously didn't pass that on," she replied, causing her mother to laugh.

James and Henry walked through the front door at that moment. "Snow we got all the groceries you asked for."

"Thank you James. Just set them on the table. Henry I have some French toast for you."

Henry hopped up on the stool next to Emma. "Happy Birthday Mom," he said with a grim as he pulled his food towards him.

She ruffled his hair. "Thanks kid."

James walked over. "Happy Birthday Emma," he told her, giving her a loving smile. She returned the gesture as he grabbed his own plate. "You really should have birthdays more often Emma. Your mother never makes food this good."

Snow shot him a glare, causing him to smirk as Emma and Henry chuckled. They made light conversation and joked around as they finished up their breakfast. James collected the plates and began to wash them as Emma went upstairs to get cleaned up.

As soon as her door closed they brought out a few wrapped gifts. They had attempted not to go overboard, but it wasn't exactly easy. They both just wanted to make up for all the years that they had missed. Snow and James would have been lying if they had said that they weren't excited, yet nervous, about today. They didn't know how Emma would respond, and they just hoped that they could make this the best day for her.

She came downstairs only to find a pile of gifts in the living room and her family waiting for her. They all had smiles covering their faces, and she had to admit that she was a little caught off guard. She had never had people give her presents before. Sure she had gotten a simple gift or two from her social worker, and maybe a foster parent, but she never had people that actually wanted to give her a gift because they loved her. It was overwhelming yet wonderful at the same time.

"You didn't have to get me anything," she stated as she entered the living room.

Snow rolled her eyes. "I thought you knew us better than that Emma." As Emma sat down, her parents sat across from her while Henry took the seat next to her.

She reached forward and chose a medium sized package first. It was beautifully wrapped, no doubt Snow's handiwork. She held it up to her ear and shook it, causing Henry to giggle. She beamed as she tore at the paper, revealing a white box. She lifted the lid and pulled out a brand new gray leather jacket.

"I know that you're fond of them, and you didn't have a gray one yet," Snow told her with a small smirk.

"This is awesome," Emma excitedly said. She slipped it on and admired how it perfectly fit. She had to admit that it looked pretty good on her. "You have good taste," she mentioned to her mother as she took her jacket off and placed it back in its box.

James held a gift towards her. "I picked out this one." It was huge and heavy. Once she got the paper off, she beheld a large leather case. It looked like something that would hold a guitar or any musical instrument. She clicked open the two silver clasps and slowly raised the lid. She gasped when she saw what was inside. "Your mother doesn't approve," her father stated with a huge grin.

"You got me a sword?" she asked, her voice full of awe as she lifted the blade from the case and examined it.

"You don't really seem like the type of princess that's into balls and dresses."

She laughed. "I have no idea how to use it."

"It comes with lessons from me. You're my daughter, and I will make sure that you know how to use a sword, even though your mother thinks it's unnecessary."

"Why would she need a sword?" Snow mumbled under her breath.

"How come I just got wooden ones?" Henry questioned.

"Because you're eleven," Emma answered, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Do I have to remind you that I'm the reason you broke the curse?"

"Thank you very much Henry. But you're still not getting a sword." Emma placed the weapon back in its place and closed the case. "Thank you James. I have to say, this was a pretty cool gift."

James smiled and leaned towards Snow. "I told you that it was a good idea."

Emma continued opening her gifts. She got a new pair of combat boots and other various articles of clothing. She could tell that her parents had tried not to go overboard, then again, her father had bought her a sword. She was grateful that she received, mostly, normal gifts. She didn't want her birthday to be this huge event where her parents made up for all that they had missed. She just wanted it to be normal, and she was glad that it pretty much was.

Henry grabbed a clumsily wrapped gift and handed it to Emma. "This is from me. I wrapped it myself. Well, Grandma helped a little bit."

Emma laughed and tore opened paper. It was a wooden box, obviously homemade. Henry had painted the words 'To Mom, Love Henry' across it in big red letters. He had decorated it with little pictures of things about the two of them. There was a black cobra next to a story book. Her bug was driving through a forest, while Emma and Henry were holding swords. He had painted a small picture of their castle on the side of the box. She looked at it in wonder. It must have taken him hours to make, and she was amazed that he would put so much effort into something just for her.

"Gepetto helped me make the box and Grandma helped me paint it."

"Henry this is amazing."

"Open it," he told her. She undid the small clasp and lifted the lid. She gasped.

There was a small stack of photographs. Pictures of Henry as a baby and toddler were mixed with those of him and Emma together. She bit her lip as she flipped through, savoring each moment with a picture. She had always wondered what he looked like as a baby and little boy, and now she knew. This gift meant so much to her. She wiped at her eyes as she pulled her son into a tight hug.

"Thank you so much."

"Grandpa got them for me. I wouldn't have been able to do it without both of them," he said, gesturing to his grandparents.

"Henry, you don't understand how much this means to me."

He smiled, and then pulled out the last present. He handed it to her and she tore the paper off.

"It's from the both of us," Snow told her as she gestured to her husband and herself.

It was a box stuffed full of envelopes. Twenty-eight, to be exact. She pulled one out and opened it to reveal a simple birthday card with a big one printed across it. She opened it to find two simple messages, one from each of her parents. As she opened more envelopes, she discovered that they had gotten her a birthday card for every year that they had missed, and each one contained two unique messages from Snow and James. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she read words of love that came straight from her parents.

"Thank you both," she said as she read the card from last year. "This means a lot. All of you, thank you for everything. This has been the best birthday I have ever had. I've never had people care so much about me."

Snow crossed the room and threw her arms around Emma. James followed and copied his wife. They sat there for a few moments in a giant family hug, all of them grateful that they were together.

* * *

Emma sat in her room, rereading all of her birthday cards. She heard a soft tapping at her door, and she got up to open it. Her mother stood in the doorway, a smile on her face.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course," Emma said as she crossed back to her bed. She took a seat, and Snow followed her lead.

She held out a thick envelope to Emma. "This is for you."

Emma took it and carefully opened it. A few pages of notebook paper spilled out, and Emma observed her mother's neat handwriting covering the pages. She looked at Snow, who just gave her a small smile. She began to read.

_Dear Emma,_

_I can't believe that my baby girl is twenty-nine. It seems like just yesterday that I first held you in my arms. You were such a beautiful little baby, that I didn't think that you could get any better. But I was wrong. You have grown into such an amazing, beautiful, strong, confident woman, and I am so proud of you. I admire everything about you. I know that you didn't have the easiest life, and while that knowledge still hurts, I am overjoyed that you didn't let it stop you from becoming the person that you want to be. You stand up for what is right, and you don't let others hold you back. That is what I wanted for you. I wanted you to become a leader who knows what she wants in life and isn't afraid of following her heart. You have showed me time and time again how dedicated you are to the people that you love, and how you will fight for them no matter the cost. Nothing else brings me such happiness._

_I was cursed to be alone, but then one day you came along, and you became my best friend. You were meant to come find me. Those months we spent together were some of the best of my life. You made me happy during the times when I didn't know how to be. You comforted me when I was hurt, and you always stood by me and fought for me. You always believed in me. You helped me find myself again. You were the light in my darkness. You brought me hope and happiness._

_Once you told me that you couldn't lose me, because you couldn't lose your family. I am so grateful that you chose to stay with me, and that you chose me for your family. I want you to know that I have always felt the same about you. You have always been more than just a best friend to me. You were my family too, even before I remembered who I was._

_Emma I have loved you since the moment I knew that you existed. I know that I've told you this many times, but I need you to understand how loved you are, and how much I've always wanted you. Being your mother brings me such happiness. I love taking care of you and watching over you. No matter how old you grow, you will always be my darling baby girl. I will always be here for you if you ever need me. You can trust me and rely on me. I will always protect you, and I will do anything in my power to make you happy. I will never leave you. I can't imagine life without you, and I never want to be separated again. You are so special and important to me. You are my happy ending, Emma._

_I love you._

_Mom_

Emma looked up with tears in her eyes. Snow reached forward and brushed them away with her thumb.

"I mean every word," she whispered as she pulled Emma close to her. Emma clung to her mother, not ever wanting to let go.

* * *

The clang of metal rang through the woods. Emma may have slain a dragon, but she was no match for her father. He was not going very easy on her, not that she minded. She liked how he respected her enough not to treat her like a child. But that didn't change the fact that she hated losing.

She lost her footing and fell to the ground. She laid there for a moment and groaned, causing James to laugh. He held out his hand to her and helped her up. She dusted to dirt off of her pants and then proceeded to sheath her sword. She was dripping in swear and panting, as was James.

Snow had taken Henry home ages ago, but the two of them had been having such fun that they didn't stop.

"You're a natural Emma," James told her as he slipped his own sword into the sheath at his side. "You are most definitely my daughter," he said with a smile.

She returned it. "I still am determined to beat you one day."

He shook his head. "I don't see that in the near future."

"Oh come on!"

He grinned as they began to walk towards the edge of the woods. "So did you have fun with your first lesson?"

"It was a lot of fun. I don't know why I didn't have you teach me this sooner."

"I have no idea either. Oh and make sure to tell your mother how much you love your present. She still doesn't approve," he stated with a smirk.

"She never will."

James smiled as he slipped his hands in his pockets. He traced the edge of the envelope. "Emma?"

"Yeah?" she asked, turning towards him. He stopped walking and slipped his letter out of his pocket. He held it out to her.

"This is for you."

She took it and carefully opened it. She had had a good cry with her mother that morning and had already reread that letter a dozen times. She didn't really want to deal with a wave of emotions right now, but she was eager to see what her father had written for her. There was just one sheet of paper, and her eyes went to the messy scrawl, which she began to read.

_Dear Emma,_

_I'm so proud of you sweetheart._

_I love you._

_Dad_

There were only twelve words on the page, but they were all that she needed to hear. Her father didn't need to pour his heart out to let her know how he felt about her. She crossed the space between them and threw her arms around him. She could tell that he was surprised, but he quickly hugged her back. She loved her father, and she was grateful that she had the chance to know how much he loved her.

* * *

The only light in the apartment was coming from the twenty-nine candles that were sticking out of the beautifully made cake. Emma sat at the table, her family surrounding her, as they sang to her.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Emma, Happy birthday to you."

They all beamed at her as they finished their song. She looked each one of them in the eyes. Her amazing son who always believed in her. Her wonderful mother and father who had so much love for her. She loved the three of them more than she had ever loved anything before. She had found her home. She had found a place where she belonged. She had found a family.

"Make a wish Emma," her mother whispered.

Emma smile and shut her eyes. Last year she had wished that she wouldn't have to be alone on her birthday. And then Henry had showed up, and her wish had come true. But she couldn't wish for that again, because she wasn't alone. Not anymore. She didn't know what she was going to wish for. She was happy.

She had everything that she ever wanted.

She blew out the candles.

**That chapter was mainly fluff, but who doesn't love fluff? I love writing happy chapters, but to be honest, I think it's time for a little bit (or a lot) of drama...**

**All I can say is that there's always calm before the storm...**

**Please review!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you all so much for sticking with this story! It means so much that I have such amazing readers!**

**This is by far the longest chapter, but it is also one of the most important.**

**I warned you all that there was a storm coming...and here it is. I have had this chapter planned out for a while, and I am excited and nervous about posting it.**

**Thanks to ladywolf101 for all of your help!**

_James came home after a long day working at the station. He was tired, and therefore looking forward to getting some rest. Henry and Emma were already asleep when he came through the front door, but he noticed a light still on in his bedroom. He quietly made his way back there, and found his wife sitting on the bed waiting for him. He smiled as soon as he saw her, and in no time he had taken a seat next to her._

_"You didn't have to wait up for me," he said as he pecked her cheek._

_"I needed to."_

_He furrowed his brow. "What does that mean?"_

_She gazed into his eyes as she took his hands in hers. "I'm late."_

_He didn't understand at first. "I'm not sure I get what you mean."_

_She took a deep breath. "James," she stated, looking deep into his eyes, "I'm late..."_

_It took him a moment before his eyes grew wide. "You're pregnant?"_

_She smiled. "I don't know for sure. I bought a test today and I was waiting for you to come home so I could take it."_

_"Then what are we waiting for?" he eagerly asked._

_She crossed the room and grabbed a brown paper sack. He stood outside of the bathroom as she went in and took the test. His mind was racing. He felt pure excitement coursing through his veins. He hoped that it was positive. The idea of another baby made him beam. It seemed like the five minutes would never end, but finally the door opened, interrupting his thoughts._

_Snow stood in the doorway clutching the little piece of plastic that would determine their fate. She held it out to him and showed him the result._

_A pink plus sign._

_He looked at her and his face morphed into a look of pure delight. "Snow, we're having a baby." She smiled back at him. He pulled her into an embrace. He was going to be a father again. They were going to be parents again. They were going to get a second chance to raise a family._

* * *

Snow and James couldn't sleep. They were both full of excitement. First thing tomorrow morning they were going to get to find out if their baby was a boy or a girl.

"I thought of a few names," Snow said as she lay on her husband's chest. He ran his fingers through her short hair.

"Oh you did, did you? Well let's hear them."

"For a boy, Leopold."

"Leopold? That's not a name, that's a prison sentence!"

"It was my father's name!"

"I ruled it out when we were coming up with names for Emma. That veto still stands."

She rolled her eyes. "And what do you suggest? James Jr.? Because my veto for that still stands."

"I think that's a good name."

"Of course you do."

"Any child of ours would be honored to be named after me," he stated with a smirk.

"Now you're just being cocky."

"Maybe, but you know that I have a point."

She chuckled. "I can see that we are nowhere near picking a name."

"Not if you veto the obvious choice."

She shook her head. "You're impossible," she said through a small giggle. He laughed in response and pulled her closer to him.

They were excited for their new child. They couldn't wait to meet him or her. It seemed like the wait would never end. Just thinking about it made them each happy. Everything was falling into place, and despite the crazy world they lived on, they felt like they were finally getting their happy ending.

* * *

Snow shot up. She didn't know what had woken her. She sat there and took deep breaths, realizing for the first time that something was wrong. She didn't know what, but she knew that it was bad. A thought passed through her mind, and she pushed it away. She didn't want to think that that was even a possibility. That had been her biggest fear over the past eighteen weeks, and she prayed that it wasn't a reality. And yet, she had this feeling that it was. And she didn't want to face it. She hoped that this was just some nightmare and that she was going to wake up soon, but she knew that that was not the case. She knew that this was real, and that scared her to death.

She noticed that her fingers were gripping the covers with all their strength, and she loosened them. She pulled back the covers, not wanting to see anything. Her breath caught in her throat and she bit her now trembling lip. This couldn't be happening.

She reached over and shook her husband. "James."

He sat up after a moment and yawned. "What is it?"

"Something's wrong James," she whispered, her voice quivering.

His face fell. "What do you mean?"

"I...I'm bleeding."

His face paled. "I'm going to call Doc and then take you to the hospital." He reached out and placed his hand on her cheek. "It's going to be okay."

"What if it's not?"

"Hey," he said as he wiped away one of her tears, "everything is going to be fine."

She nodded as he got out of bed and retrieved his phone. He had to take a minute to calm himself down. He had to be strong for his wife, even though it was hard. He was worried about their child. He was praying that their daughter or son was okay. Because if their little Charming wasn't, he didn't know what he would do.

He quickly made the call and agreed to meet Doc at the hospital as soon as possible. He threw on some clothes and grabbed a few things for Snow, as she was still sitting in bed. He could see that she was lost in her thoughts, and lines of worry etched her face.

"Sweetheart, we've got to go now," he told her as he helped her out of bed. He didn't want to look at the sheets, but he couldn't have missed the large stain. That was a lot of blood. He just hoped that Snow didn't realize that. Because he was slowly losing hope that their baby was okay. He handed her some new clothes and she changed as he scribbled a quick note to Emma, letting her know where they were. Once Snow was ready, he grabbed her hand and helped her out to his truck. He made sure that she was situated, and then hopped in and headed towards the hospital. He noticed that during the entire drive she stared out the window. He saw tears pooling in her eyes, and he reached out and laced their fingers together. Even though he was slowly breaking inside, he wasn't going to let that show. His wife needed him.

Doc was waiting for them when they arrived. He guided them to an examination room and immediately ran some tests. As soon as he was finished, he hurried into another room to determine the results.

Snow sat on the examination table, with James standing right beside her. He kissed her forehead as she twirled her ring on her finger.

"I'm scared, James."

He took a deep breath. "So am I."

They didn't say anything more. They were both just consumed with their own thoughts.

Doc entered the room after what seemed like an eternity. His face was blank, but James could see the sorrow in his eyes.

"What is it?" Snow asked.

He set his file down and looked her straight in the eye. "Your highness, there is no easy way to put this..."

She violently shook her head, tears already welling in her eyes. "No, no, no. Please, no."

"I don't know what caused this. Everything was fine at your last appointment."

"It's all my fault!" Snow whimpered as she shook with silent sobs.

"Shh, darling, no it wasn't. You didn't do anything wrong. You've given this baby a wonderful home, and you've done nothing but taken care of it. You've been a great mother so far. You didn't cause this. You had nothing to do with it. Nothing that you have done could have made this happen," James whispered as he held her face in his hands. He had tears running down his face as he spoke to her.

Her heart had broken. She had wanted this child so badly that it hurt. She had been eagerly awaiting the moment when she would have gotten to meet her perfect little baby. She had been dreaming of teaching it to walk and talk, of singing it to sleep, of just caring for it. She had already been robbed of a chance at motherhood, and now it had been taken from her again. Words could not express the sorrow that she felt inside. She didn't know if she could handle losing her child. She already loved it so much, and it wasn't fair that it was being taken from her. This baby was her son or daughter. It was her responsibility to care for it, and she had failed. It was her job to give it life, and she couldn't even do that. She didn't know what she had done wrong. She had tried to be the best mother she could, but apparently it wasn't enough. Her child, one that she loved and wanted with all of her heart, had been taken from her.

He felt his heart ache when he realized that their baby was gone. Their precious little creation. He was never going to find out if it had its mother's beautiful eyes or black curls, or if it would have blonde locks or crystal clear blue eyes. He was never going to get to hear its first word or see its first step. He wasn't going to be able to be a father to his child. That all he wanted. He wanted to be there for his son or daughter, and he would never get the chance. He was never going to get to show it a loving home. The thought that his child was gone in an instant nearly killed him inside. He was never going to get to meet it or hold it in his arms. He had wanted it so much, and he had loved it more than words could describe.

It seemed like an eternity before they finally got to head home. They were each silent for the entire ride. Snow stared out the window as James focused on the road. He tried to clear his head, but that was impossible. As soon as they pulled up to the apartment, he hopped out and walked around to the other side of the truck and opened the door for her, helping her out. Her grip on his arm tightened as they walked towards their front door, but they still remained silent. When they entered the apartment Emma and Henry were both still asleep. Snow immediately went to their bedroom, shutting the door behind her. James walked to the kitchen and crumpled up his note to Emma, throwing it in the trash. As he moved to hang their coats up, he heard muffled sobbing coming from his bedroom. He threw the coats on the couch and went to his wife.

The first thing that she had seen when she had gotten home was the blood. And that confirmed that this was a reality. There was no way that she could deny it any longer. We began to strip the sheets, but could barely hold herself together. She left the sheets in a pile on the floor as she sank onto the bed. She held a hand against her mouth, desperately trying to hold in her cries. It didn't work.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, a hand over her mouth and tears staining her cheeks. He noticed the pile of sheets on the ground and realized what she had been trying to do. He knelt in front of her and placed his fingers under her chin, gently pushing her face up so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Hey," he whispered, "I'm here." She broke down once more into loud, violent sobs. He climbed up on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. She curled up into a ball against his chest as she bathed his neck with her tears. He rested his chin on the top of her head as he rubbed her back and ran his fingers through her hair. He couldn't hold his emotions in any longer, and he sobbed with her. They sat there together and grieved for their loss. The grieved for their son or daughter.

Eventually Snow cried herself to sleep. He laid down next to her, lost in his thoughts. There was no way that he could sleep right now.

Morning slowly came. He heard Emma and Henry moving around the kitchen. He didn't know how he could face them. Snow was still asleep, and he didn't want to wake her. She looked so peaceful, a look that he doubted he would see on her features very often anymore. He slowly stood and wiped his eyes. He had to go face his family.

Henry was busy eating his cereal while Emma was sipping her coffee. He wondered if she had heard their sobs last night. She was a pretty heavy sleeper, so he doubted it.

"Morning Gramps," Henry said with a grin as James entered the kitchen. The corners of his mouth turned up in a fake smile.

"There's coffee in the pot," Emma told him. He nodded and poured the hot liquid into his own mug. He was going to need this caffeine boost if he wanted to get through today.

"Are we still going to go to the stables this afternoon?" Henry asked.

James had completely forgotten about his promise to his grandson. They had made plans to go horseback riding together. Henry had wanted to learn so that he could be a proper prince. There was no way that he could back out of their deal, so he nodded and offered another false smile.

He knew that he needed to tell his daughter what had happened. They couldn't keep it from her. The loss affected the entire family, and she deserved to know about it. But he couldn't get the words out. He couldn't admit it. If he said it out loud, then that meant that it was true, and he didn't want to believe that.

"I'm going to go to the station," he stated. He needed to distract himself. He knew that he needed to be there for his wife, but he didn't know if he could handle that right now. He needed to clear his head and keep himself busy. Not thinking about it would give him some temporary relief from this misery. He knew it wouldn't last, but it was his only option right now.

"Can I come?" Henry inquired. James nodded. His grandson had a knack for making him feel better, and that's what he needed right now. Henry quickly finished his breakfast and ran upstairs to get changed.

"Keep an eye on your mother," he said to his daughter as he shrugged his coat on. He played with his keys in his hands as he waited for Henry.

Emma gave him a questioning look, but she didn't say anything. As Henry bounded down the stairs, she ruffled his hair and gave him a quick hug. "Be good and listen to James," she told him as they left the apartment.

She finished her coffee and went upstairs. It was her day off, but she had taken some files home with her last night and she figured that it wouldn't hurt to flip through them. While it was boring work, she had to sort through them sometime. She had only made it through two files before she heard movement downstairs. She was surprised that it had taken her mother this long to wake up, as she never slept in, not even as Mary Margaret. Emma grabbed her now empty mug and descended downstairs.

Snow was busy changing the sheets on their bed. Emma wondered why her mother had decided to do this the second she woke up, but the blonde didn't question it. Instead she walked to the side of the bed and pulled the sheets up.

"Good morning," she said. Snow didn't respond. Emma raised her eyebrow, but didn't say anything more. They finished making up the bed and Snow grabbed the bundle of sheets on the floor. She hurried out of the apartment without a word, leaving a stunned Emma behind. She wasn't sure what this weird behavior meant, but she would definitely look into it.

Snow didn't wash the sheets. She threw them in the dumpster behind the apartment building. As soon as she had seen them that morning she knew that she had to get them out of her home. She was just going to wash them, but she knew that she could never sleep on them again. She just had to get rid of them. She channeled all of her anger, frustration, and hurt into slamming the lid of the dumpster. She kicked the side of the metal box and immediately felt a throbbing pain in her foot. At least she could still feel. She had cried every tear that she had last night, and all that was left was her anger. She didn't understand why something so horrible had happened to them. It wasn't fair. They didn't deserve this. As she climbed the stairs to the apartment, she wasn't sure if she wanted to hit something or cry. Emma had looked at her funny while they were changing the sheets, but she didn't care. She knew that she was acting strange, but she had every right to.

Emma was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for her. The blonde had gotten a second cup of coffee and was now doing the crossword on an old newspaper. Snow usually would have joined her, but not today. Right now she couldn't face Emma. She retreated into her bedroom and immediately crawled under the covers. She curled into the fetal position and began to twirl her ring.

Emma knew something was up, so she followed her mother. She found the other woman already curled up in bed, very unlike her. Snow was not someone who usually slept the day away. The blonde crossed the room and stood next to the bed.

"You know, the boys are going to be gone all day." She didn't get any response, so she just kept going. "We could have a girls' afternoon or something. We could watch movies and drink hot chocolate. But only if you're into it. If you don't want to, I get it." Her mother still didn't say a word, so she took her lack of response as a no. She slowly backed out of the room and headed upstairs. She had one more idea of getting through to Snow, and she was pretty confident that it would work. Snow was really into talking about feelings, and if that is what she wanted to do, Emma would happily comply. She would do anything to get her mother out of this weird mood swing.

She grabbed an envelope off of her desk. She had been working on the letters to her parents for weeks. She couldn't even count how much notebook paper she had gone through. Her hand was constantly cramped from writing so much, and she now hated the fumes of ballpoint pens. But it was going to be worth it when she saw the look on Snow's face when she got to read the letter from her daughter. Emma had done this in order to become closer to her mother, as that's what she was looking for, even though she wouldn't admit it.

She tiptoed downstairs and returned to her parents' bedroom. Snow hadn't changed positions. Emma traced the edge of the envelope, not entirely sure what to say.

"It meant a lot when you gave me that letter. I read it all the time. So I was thinking that I wanted to do the same for you." She placed the letter on the nightstand and backed towards the door. Snow made no move to open it, but Emma figured that she would any moment. The blonde decided to head upstairs and give her mother some privacy.

Snow didn't read the letter. In fact, she didn't even open it. She just couldn't. She was supposed to be finding out whether or not her baby was a boy or girl right now, not mourning her loss. She wasn't motivated to do anything today. She didn't want to move from her position. She wanted to stay here all day. She envied James a little. He was going to spend the whole day with Henry, and she knew that that would help him clear his head. She wished that she had a way to momentarily forget her pain. She could spend the day with Emma, but her daughter could read people too well. Emma would know something was wrong immediately, and Snow didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to ignore it, and maybe it would go away. At least she wished that that was true.

Emma had drifted off while reading a file, and she woke up a few hours later. As she rubbed her eyes, she figured that Snow had finished reading her letter, so she decided to head downstairs. She knocked before entering her mother's room, but she didn't hear a response. She cracked the door open.

Her mother hadn't moved, and she was still absentmindedly twirling her ring. She was staring at the wall as if she was lost in her thoughts. Emma noticed that the letter remained untouched. She would be lying if she said that it didn't hurt a little bit. She had practically poured her heart out, yet her mother didn't appreciate it. Emma crossed the room and snatched the letter up.

"You know, I don't know what's going on with you today, but you don't have to treat me like crap. I've been trying really hard to be a good daughter for you, but it's like you don't even care. I asked to spend time with you today and you didn't even respond. And then I spent all this time writing a letter for you to tell you how I truly feel about you and yet you don't even bother to look at it. You always want me to open up, but when I try you shut me out. I am done dealing with you today, and that is your own fault."

Emma immediately regretted her little speech as she stormed upstairs, but she did feel like she had every right to say it. Her mother was acting weird today, and Emma didn't think that she had to be ignored because of it. She had grown up in homes where she had been treated like this, but she had never thought that this type of behavior would come from Snow. It was foreign and it made her uncomfortable. She felt like she should go apologize right away, but Emma was way to prideful to do that.

Snow started crying as soon as Emma left the room. She knew that she was acting horribly towards her daughter, but she couldn't help it. She was stuck in this grieving trance and she didn't know how to get out of it. She couldn't talk to Emma about it, because she didn't want to burden the other woman with her problems. This was something that she had to deal with in her own way, even though she wasn't sure if her way was the right one. In reality she needed Emma so much right now. She wanted to hold her daughter and run her fingers through her curls. That was something that always comforted her no matter what. But she knew that she could never ask Emma to comply. She took care of Emma now. She couldn't help but long for the days when Emma watched over Mary Margaret. It was always comforting knowing that someone was there for you whenever you needed her. She missed having a best friend to turn to in times of need. Right now she needed Emma the most.

James and Henry came through the door just as Emma was storming upstairs. They had had a good day together, much to James's surprise. There was something about his grandson that made him happy during a time when he didn't think it was possible. He furrowed his brow as he saw Emma march into her room, and that's when he heard the soft cries coming from his bedroom.

"Henry, why don't you go upstairs?" The boy nodded as James turned and entered his room. Snow was curled into a ball under the covers and crying into her pillow. He knelt next to the edge of the bed. "Talk to me darling," he whispered.

"Emma...she..." Snow choked out.

"What happened sweetheart?" Snow shook her head and continued to cry. He locked his jaw as he rose and left the room. His wife had been through enough and she didn't need to have to deal with Emma's attitude. He knew that Emma was not the easiest person to live with and that she had a lot of emotions to deal with, but enough was enough. He had had it. They had put up with her for months, but this was the final straw. Snow had just been through a traumatic experience, as had he, and he would not let Emma treat his wife poorly. "Emma!" he hollered up as he stood at the foot of her stairs.

She appeared outside her door. "What do you want?"

"Get down here," he growled as he clenched his fists. She rolled her eyes. "I am NOT asking." He saw her eyes widen as she walked down the stairs. He wasn't one to usually have a temper, and he never treated her like a child.

"What?"

"What did you do?" he questioned as he pointed towards his bedroom. Emma snorted.

"She started it."

"Your mother is in there crying. I'm going to ask one more time. What. Did. You. Do?"

Emma seemed taken aback. "Calm down. Geez I just told her off because she was being kind of rude. I asked her to hang out today and she ignored me, and then I gave her this letter I wrote and she didn't even read it."

James unclenched his fists as he sighed. "She didn't say anything to you?"

"What is going on?" Emma asked, her voice slightly raised. He could tell that she was annoyed with him.

He looked at the ground and bit his lip. If he said it out loud then that meant that it was true, and he didn't want to believe that. But he couldn't hide from it forever. He looked back up at his daughter.

"Last night, your mother had a miscarriage. We lost the baby. We lost her."

Emma's mouth dropped. She saw her father start to tear up. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and continued to bite his lip. She could tell that he was doing everything he could to keep from crying.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I wish I had known. Holy crap. She didn't say anything, I had no idea," Emma stuttered as she tried to collect her thoughts. She had no idea what to say. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "That's horrible. You two don't deserve that."

"I just wish that there was something I could do, but I couldn't. It was just one of those things that we had no control over."

Emma shook her head. "It's not fair."

"Nothing ever is."

They stood in silence as they each were consumed with their own thoughts. Emma looked up at her father after a while with an inquiring look on her face.

"You said that you lost her. It was a girl?"

He nodded. "We were supposed to find out today actually. Doc told me while we were at the hospital. Snow doesn't know, and I don't want her to find out. It would just make it worse. It makes it seem more real than it already is."

Emma was quiet for a moment, and James could see that she was carefully thinking about what she was going to say next. "I don't know what to say to make you feel better. I'm not really the comforting type. But I can say that I am truly sorry for you two. You're my parents, and even though I don't show it very much, I do care about you two a lot and it hurts knowing what you're going through."

He wiped at his eyes. "Thank you."

She stepped forward and uncharacteristically pulled her father into a hug. He held her close for a moment, drawing all the strength that he needed from his daughter.

"I'm going to go talk to her."

"She won't admit it, but she needs you the most right now Emma."

"I know." She looked him in the eyes. "I want you to know that I do love you. If you ever need anything to keep you going, let that be your motivation."

He gave her a small and sad smile. "Thank you Emma. I love you too."

Emma turned and headed towards the bedroom. She heard her father climb the stairs, and she assumed that he went to spend more time with Henry. She knew that that was probably best for him, as Henry had a way of making people feel better. She stopped in the kitchen and sat in one of the chairs. She needed to clear her head. She didn't sit there for long before the tears started rolling down her cheeks.

She had lost her little sister. She didn't realize that she cared this much, but she did. She had grown to like the idea of being a big sister, and now that chance was gone in an instant. A member of their family was gone, and she had never thought that it could hurt so much. Plus she felt horrible for telling Snow off. She had been kind of rude to her during a time when she was broken. Emma couldn't believe that she treated her mother that way. She just wished that she had known. It would have made everything so much easier. And to top of all these emotions she was having right now, she felt guilt spread through her. She had wished, multiple times, that her parents weren't having a baby. She had wished that it had never happened. She had wanted it gone. She felt sick to her stomach. She wished that she could rewind and take back every nasty thought she had had about the baby and every poisonous word she had spoken. She had never wanted this. She had never wanted this kind of thing to happen to her family. And now her parents weren't the only ones who felt broken.

Emma wiped the tears from her face. She needed to be strong for her mother. She stood and walked to the door and pushed it open. She didn't even bother knocking, as she knew her mother probably would answer her anyway. She stood at the foot of the bed and watched her mother shake with silent sobs. Her stomach dropped and she wanted to cry herself, and she never cried. She folded her arms in front of her and cleared her throat.

"James told me what happened last night. I am so so so sorry. I can't even imagine what you're going through right now." Emma didn't expect her mother to say anything, so she wasn't surprised when she was met with silence. "Do you feel like talking about it?"

"Nope," her mother whispered.

"Do you want to be alone?"

"Nope," Snow answered. It was barely audible, and Emma could hear the hurt laced with her mother's voice. She sat on the edge of the bed and then laid down next to her mother.

Months ago they had found themselves in this exact same position. Emma had been there for Mary Margaret when she had needed it most. Emma had comforted her friend when no one else would. But now it was different. Now they weren't just two best friends. Emma was there to comfort her mother during a traumatic experience. Emma was there to watch over and take care of someone who desperately needed it. Snow wanted Emma there, and more importantly, she needed her daughter.

Emma scooted closer to Snow. She wasn't really an expert on comforting people, but she knew exactly what would make her mother feel a little better. She cleared her throat.

"When I was about six months old, I was put in my first foster home. It was a husband and wife, and they didn't have any children. They were both wonderful and loving people, and I was happy when I was living there. They taught me how to walk and talk, and they will always have a place in my heart, even if it's small, because of that."

Snow rolled onto her back. "Why are you telling me this Emma?"

"You'll see," she said as a small smile shaped her lips. "I used to ask them all the time about my first words and steps. I don't even know why, I guess I just wanted to remember. Anyway, I don't really remember much about the story of my first steps, but I do remember the one about my first word."

Emma paused and looked at her mother. Snow's face was blank, but she was actively listening. Emma cleared her throat and continued.

"It was around Christmastime. I was a little over a year old, and I had taken my firsts steps. I wasn't really a great walker yet, but I was working on it. I had been babbling for a few months, and my foster parents knew that I would say my first word any day. They were sure that it was going to be 'Emma'. Anyway, one day we were coming home one day and it had started to snow. My foster dad wouldn't let me play in it, and I got really upset. As soon as we were in the house I went to the window and started banging on it. I wanted to go out so badly. Every few minutes one of my foster parents would take me from the window, much to my displeasure. Finally they got fed up with dealing with my tantrums, and they agreed to take me outside. I was all bundled up and I couldn't even walk, so I just sat in the snow and played with it while my foster dad kept an eye on me. He kept telling me how pretty it was that day, and he kept asking me how much I liked playing in it. And that's when I said my first word. I grabbed a fistful of the stuff and threw it in the air. As I did this I screamed my first word at the top of my lungs with a huge smile on my face."

"What was it?" Snow asked.

Emma looked her mother in the eye and smiled. "Snow."

"Your first word was my name?"

"My first word was my mother's name."

Emma saw a hint of a smile on her mother's face. "Thank you Emma. For telling me."

"I knew it would make you feel better. And I know that you're hurting right now and I just want you to know that I'm here for you. As your best friend and your daughter. You don't have to talk to me right now, but you can when you're ready."

Snow was silent for a moment. She bit her lip as she thought about what to say next. She was truly touched by how loving Emma was being. There was no one else that she would rather talk to.

"Do you know how much you mean to me Emma?"

"Yes. You tell me all the time," Emma said with a grin.

"I know I tell you I love you, but you can't begin to understand how much I really do love you. You're so special to me. I wanted you so much. Words can't describe how badly I wanted you and how much I would give for you."

"Snow I know all of this."

"No, you don't. There is something that I haven't told you. I don't really like to talk about it because it is incredibly painful. I usually try to forget about it, and usually that is enough. But after what happened last night, I can't ignore it anymore."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "I'm not sure I'm following you."

"It's my turn to tell you a story Emma."

"Okay," the blonde said. She scooted even closer to her mother. Snow didn't move, but she did like how close her daughter was to her. There was something about Emma that made her feel whole.

"During your father's and my wedding, Regina threatened us. She told us that she was going to take away everything we love. You know this, because it's all Henry has been talking about for the past year. But as soon as I heard Regina's threat, the first thing that came to mind was James. I had been fighting so hard to be with him and couldn't imagine having him taken from me. But that all changed about a month later. We found out we were expecting a child, and nothing could bring me more happiness, yet at the same time it brought a consuming dread with it. I couldn't beat the thought of having my child taken from me. I worried about it all day and night. Then in the middle of the winter, I got sick. I got really sick. I almost died. It was terrible. The entire time I was worried about my child. We did everything we could. But it was in vain. I lost it. That was one of the worst nights of my life. I thought that I wouldn't be able to go on. But somehow I managed to. I focused on hunting Regina with James. Surprisingly, she took a while to make good on her threat, so we decided to continue on with our lives. We wanted a family, a large family since we both were only children, so we moved forward. By the night of Thomas's and Ella's wedding, we finally were ourselves again. We had finally managed to be happy again. I smiled so much that night. I felt like my life was finally complete again. A few weeks later, I discovered that we were expecting again. I was excited, but thoughts of loss plagued my mind. I pushed them aside and thought of my child. Then James went on a hunting trip. I stayed back because I didn't want to exert myself. The weekend had been going fine, and then disaster struck again. I hadn't done anything wrong. I had tried so hard to be a good mother and take care of my baby. And yet, the first thing I had to tell my husband when he came home was that I had lost our second child. I thought that there was no way for me to be happy again. I thought that there was no way for me to move on with my life. I wanted a child so badly. I would have given anything for a baby. I knew that I was destined to have a child. James's mother had a necklace that was enchanted to tell you what the gender of your first child would be. When I held it over my hand, it swung in the direction that indicated that I was to have a girl. But yet I was losing hope. Maybe the enchantment wasn't working. Twice I had been pregnant and yet I still didn't have my daughter. So I did the only thing that I could think of. I sought out help from one person who I knew wouldn't fail me. Rumplestiltskin. Looking back I know it was not wise of me to make a deal with him, but I was desperate. He gave me a potion that would guarantee that my next child would live in return for nothing. He said that he was invested in the fate of my child. Now I know that he just needed a savior for his curse. I kept my deal from James. He couldn't know what I had done. When I became pregnant with my third child, I drank the potion. I knew that I was going to meet this baby. As the months passed I felt the threat of the curse closing in on us. I sought help from everyone and everything I could. I had to protect my daughter. I had lost two children before her, and I couldn't lose her too. I was willing to go to any lengths to make sure that she would be safe. When she was born, I was filled with an indescribable joy. The second I held her in my arms I loved her more than anything I had ever loved before. I had thought that I loved her when I learned of her existence, but my love just grew. The moment that her hand clasped around my finger, I knew that everything I had done for her was worth it. It was worth it to get to meet my child and hold her in my arms. She was all mine, and she was perfect. And yet, I had to send her away. I had to separate with my child, and it destroyed me. Because even though this child had lived, I still lost her. She was taken from me, much like the two before her. And then she found us and I was happy again. Our family was complete. And then I found out that I was expecting for a fourth time. I was worried, but my excitement pushed any fears away. Everything was going so well, and I thought that I was finally able to have the family that I had always dreamed of. And then I awoke in the middle of the night and I knew that something was wrong. And I prayed that history wasn't repeating itself. But I knew that feeling all too well. And next thing I knew, I had lost another child. And now I am stuck in a place where I don't know whether to be angry or mournful. It isn't fair that all of my children have been taken from me in one form or another. I didn't deserve this. I don't deserve this. I have nothing but love in my heart for my babies, and yet I can't be a mother. It's all I have ever wanted since I was a little girl, and yet my dream has been ripped from me over and over again. I don't know how to go on. I don't have any more tears to shed. James and I have lost everything we've ever loved, and there is nothing we can do about it."

Snow had tears running down her face. She wiped them away. Emma sat there in shock. She wasn't surprised. She had just confessed some of her deepest secrets to her daughter. She knew the information was overwhelming.

Emma didn't know what to say. She had no idea that her mother had experienced such hardships. She had always thought that her parents had had charmed lives once they took back their kingdom, but she had been wrong. They had been robbed of so much in their lives. It wasn't fair that their family had to go through such terrible things.

"You've lost so much," Emma whispered.

"It's made me realize how much I love you," Snow answered. She reached out and grabbed her daughter's fingers. "You mean so much to me. You are the daughter I was told that I would have. You're the only baby that I got to meet and hold in my arms. You will always be my beautiful baby girl that completely changed my world the moment her fist closed around my finger. You are my child, and I love you so much."

Emma squeezed her mother's hand. "I love you too, Mom."

"You have no idea how much I needed to hear that," Snow told her daughter as she pulled her baby girl into her arms. Being a mother to Emma was the only thing that would make her happy again. She knew she had a lot of grieving ahead of her, but she wasn't dreading it. She had her best friend and child beside her, and that was all that she needed.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"I wrote you a letter. And I think that it is something you need to read."

"I want to read it. Earlier I just couldn't face anything, and I'm sorry if I made you feel like you weren't important to me. Because you are."

Emma pulled an envelope out of her back pocket. She held it out to her mother. Snow took it and pulled it open, holding the notebook paper in her hand.

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm still not used to calling you that. Maybe because even though I think of you as my mother now, I still see Mary Margaret. Which isn't a bad thing._

_I just want to say, that it was you that taught me how to open myself up to love. Having you for a best friend changed me into the person that I've always wanted to be. You taught me how to care for others and fight for what I know is right and what is important to me. You taught me how to comfort people and protect them. You taught me what it means to love a child. Without you, I wouldn't know how to love._

_I've been searching for my mother for as long as I can remember. I've wanted to know who she was and I've wanted to meet her more than anything in the world. But of all the scenarios that I could have thought of, I never thought that my mother would be someone that I care so much about. I never thought that she would be my best friend. I never thought that she would be Snow White._

_I do love you. I love being your daughter. I love having you for a mother. You are a better mother than I ever imagined. I used to dream about the person who you would be, and you are ten times better than anything I thought of. You're caring and kind, and you always take care of me. You always listen to what I have to say. You're always there when I need you, and you always manage to say the right thing. You are easy to talk to and I love spending time with you. You are trustworthy and loyal. You would do anything for this family. You have sacrificed everything for me. You are the most loving and sincere person I have ever met. I know that I can always rely on you. You are and forever will be my best friend. There is no one that I would rather have for a mother._

_Love, Emma_

"I mean every word, you know," Emma said as she noticed that Sow had finished reading it.

"I know." Snow wiped away the tears that had started to trickle down her face. "I hope you know that this is now my most treasured possession."

"You're just saying that."

"No I'm not. I've been waiting my whole life for something like this."

They sat in silence for a few moments. "It's not going to be easy for you during the next few days, is it?"

Snow shook her head. "It's going to be hard, but I promise that I won't push you to the side. I'm still your mother no matter what happened, and I can't ignore that."

"I'm here for you whenever you need me."

"That's all I need."

***Finds a safe place to hide***

**PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!**

**I know that I'm a terrible person, but I've had this planned from the beginning, and I couldn't go back on that. **

**Raise your hand if I made you cry. I made myself tear up a little bit while writing this.**

**Do I dare ask for reviews? I don't know...**


	27. Chapter 27

**I was blown away at the responses I got for the last chapter...I just want to say thank you to all of my wonderful readers! **

**I know it has been a while since I last posted. School has been crazy and I just haven't had the time to write. I hope to pick up the pace, and my goal is one chapter a week.**

**Thank you to my wonderful beta ladywolf101...you're awesome! (To my readers that follower her story, she is currently unable to write but hopes to be able to continue soon.)**

**I wish I could say that the emotional rollercoaster is behind us, but I would be lying. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

James sat at the station, a pile of files on his desk and a coffee cup in his hand. He had come in early that morning, determined to get through a large stack of files. He wanted to lighten the work load before Christmas, but from the looks of things, that wasn't about to happen. No matter how many hours he put in at the station, it seemed like he hardly got any work done. He was there but he wasn't really there. He was still lost in his own world, a world where he was consumed with his grief.

The past month had been difficult. Snow only left the house for doctor appointments, not that he blamed her. He hated all the looks people gave him and all the condolences that were given. Every time they spoke she had a glazed look in her eyes, and he could tell that her mind was somewhere else. She cried herself to sleep every night, as did he. He tried comforting her, but it seemed as if she didn't even want to be in the same room as him. He found himself spending less and less time at home, and often he slept on the couch. It wasn't as if it was just her, he had definitely withdrawn from his regular self, and he found himself often wanting to just be alone. He didn't know why they were each acting this way. They had gone through losing a child twice before, and he didn't know why this time was any different. For some reason they were both unable to truly move on from this. Their grief was still all consuming and painful, and he didn't know when it would come to an end.

To make matters worse, he could tell that their behavior was affecting the rest of their family. They made light conversation only when necessary, and meals were eaten in near silence. He didn't really spend time with Henry or Emma, as he didn't have the energy to. Emma was the only person that Snow would really talk to, and they often paired off leaving Henry and himself on their own. Henry did his homework without complaint and never mentioned Fairytales or magic. The boy never asked to sword fight or go to the stables, actually, he never asked to do anything. James felt as if the seams that held is family together were slowly loosening. Through the rest of the fall holidays, there was barely any celebration or even cheer in their home. They didn't pass out candy during Halloween, let alone dress up. While the other citizens of Storybrooke celebrated Thanksgiving, their family didn't even eat dinner together on that night. James dreaded Christmas, as he knew that it was supposed to be a holiday that brought them all together, yet he doubted if that was even possible. He so badly didn't want to disappoint his daughter or grandson, yet he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He was just one man, and a broken one at that.

He heard the door open and turned to see who had just arrived. He expected to see August, as Emma had named him a deputy. James didn't mind, as the puppet was hardworking and reliable. He was slightly surprised to see Emma, as it was her day off.

"Hey," she said as she came in. She walked over and sat on the edge of his desk. He nodded in a silent greeting. She wasn't surprised, as this had been the definition of their interactions for weeks. "So," she started as she played with her keys in her hand, "you should probably get going."

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Today is your day off and my turn to cover the station."

"Nope. You're on Snow duty today."

Father and daughter had a silent agreement not to leave Snow alone. The brunette always had a companion during the day, even if she didn't acknowledge their presence half of the time. After all that she had been through, neither one of them wanted to see her face her grief alone. Snow was strong, that much was true, but there were some things that even she couldn't handle. Emma and James took turns manning the station and caring for Snow. It wasn't a perfect system, but it was what working best for their family.

He shook his head. "It's Wednesday. I'm always at the station on Wednesdays."

"I know that, but she has a doctor's appointment, and I'm not taking her."

He sighed. He had completely forgotten about the appointment. To be honest, he had shoved it into the back of his mind. He hated going to these things. They just rubbed it in their faces that they had lost a child. They had been to two already since the miscarriage, and each time they ended up going home and crying for hours. They were emotionally draining experiences, and the absolute last place that James wanted to be.

He stood and grabbed his coat, shrugging it on. He drained his coffee mug and then grabbed his keys. "I shouldn't be too long. I'll finish my shift once we're done."

"Why don't you just take the entire day?"

James shook his head. "I'd rather not."

Emma took a deep breath. "I don't want to fight you on this. But if I have to, I will play my sheriff card, and I can ask you, as your boss, to take the rest of the day off."

"If I have to I will play my father card and tell you that you can't tell me what to do."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Why do you have to make this difficult?"

James didn't have a response. He didn't know why he wanted to come back to the station so badly. He should jump at the chance to spend the day with his wife, yet that was the last thing he wanted to do. What was happening to him? He hardly recognized the man that he was anymore. He didn't know why he had changed so much. He just wished that he could go back to a time when his family was happy and they weren't plagued by sorrow and pain.

He didn't answer her as he left the station. He didn't think about anything as he drove to the apartment. As he climbed out of his truck, he took a few deep breaths to compose himself. It was destined to be a long day, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.

* * *

Snow sat at the table, mindlessly drinking a cup of hot chocolate. The morning had been a blur so far, but that wasn't unusual. The past month had pretty much been a blur to her. She hardly remembered any holidays that they celebrated, if they had at all. She didn't really recall the last time she had had a deep conversation with James, and she wasn't surprised by that. She hadn't expected him to want to explore his emotions, and she wasn't surprised when he had shut himself off. She hardly noticed his absence anymore, which should have been disturbing, and she barely recognized when he was home. Despite the fact that she only left the apartment for the despicable doctor appointments, she hadn't really left their home, and she honestly didn't plan to anytime soon. While she couldn't even bear the thought of reentering society, she did notice that her husband preferred to venture back into town. She knew that it was his own coping mechanism, but that didn't change the fact that she couldn't understand why he would possibly want to face the stares and whispered remarks that followed any member of their family. It was no secret to the citizens of Storybrooke what had happened, but Snow didn't want to deal with others. She was too focused on her grief, and she didn't need a constant reminder that she was the new subject of others' pity. She hated that feeling, and refused to subject herself to it. She had already been through enough, and she was still trying to find a way to return to her usual self. She had enough on her plate, and she didn't want to be overwhelmed. Snow found that it was just easier to focus on her feelings in private. And so she didn't leave the apartment, and her days had become a blur. This was her life now, and she wasn't completely sure how she felt about it.

Emma had left that morning to run a quick errand, and Snow knew that her daughter would return in no time. It wasn't a secret that her family chose not to leave her alone for long periods of time. While she wasn't thrilled about the idea of constantly having a babysitter, she didn't mind the extra effort her loved ones put in to make sure she was taken care of. They focused all their energy on her and helping her come to terms with losing her child. She would be lying if she said that she didn't enjoy the attention, but sometimes she wished that the spotlight was removed from her. Sometimes she wished that they would treat her normally. She wanted things to go back to the way they were, but she didn't know if that was possible. Her family had been molded into something else entirely, and wasn't too happy with the people they had become.

She heard the click of the lock and assumed that Emma had returned. She turned around the moment she heard the shuffle of her husband's boots across the floor.

"It Wednesday," she stated. "Shouldn't you be at the station?"

"I'm taking you to your appointment today."

Snow glanced at the calendar, noticing for the first time the penciled in appointment. She let out a long sigh, as she hated going to these things. Without another word she got up and walked to the bedroom to change. She noticed that her movements were sluggish, and she knew that it was because she was dreading the appointment. She didn't know what result they were going to get today, and that is what scared her the most.

James was sitting at the counter, drumming his fingers. When he noticed her come out of the bedroom, he stood. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded and pulled on her coat. He took his keys out of his pocket and she followed him as he exited the apartment. When they reached his truck he opened the passenger side door for her, and she slowly climbed in. Neither one of them spoke as they made their way towards the hospital. There was nothing that Snow wanted to say to her husband.

The bright lights of the hospital were as harsh and taunting as usual. She wrapped her arms around her as they walked towards the office. She hated this place.

Doc greeted them when they arrived at his office. She put on a fake smile when she saw her old friend, but she knew that he saw right through it. Not that she cared. The three of them took their seats and Doc opened a file on his desk. He flipped through it for a moment before he came to his desired page.

"It's no secret that I've been working with you two for quite some time now, and I'm very aware of all the complications that you two have been experiencing. One of the benefits of this world is that there are many tests we can conduct in order to discover what's going on with you two. Last time I saw you we ran a few tests and I just got the data back, and that's what we are going to talk about today. We'll discuss what the results mean, and how it will affect you two in the future." He put his glasses on and pulled and held up a piece of paper. "Since this has been your fourth pregnancy, it's safe to assume that you two have no problem with conception. The tests proved that this theory was right. James, there isn't anything wrong with you. In fact, everything is working perfectly." He cleared his throat and turned to Snow. "Your Highness, I can't be exactly sure what is going on, but it appears that you have some sort of condition that makes it difficult to carry a child. Everything else is fine, and you have no problem with conceiving, yet for some reason your body is unable to maintain a pregnancy. In fact, from the looks of things, you have about a one in a million chance of having another child. I would say that it is impossible, but since you have Emma, it's safe to say that miracles do happen. There are a few options we have if you wish to grow your family, so I'll let you two look over these pamphlets and we can talk in a few weeks if you would like," he said as he passed a stack of papers to them. "I'm really sorry about these results, and I hate to be the bringer of bad news."

They stood and shook Doc's hand, and then left the office. Snow had no desire to stay. She clutched the papers to her chest as she struggled to old her tears in. She refused to cry here.

James kept sneaking glances at her throughout the drive home. He could practically see the internal struggle taking place inside her, and he wished that there was something that he could do. But he didn't know what to say to her.

Once they returned to the apartment, Snow threw the stack of papers on her bedside table. She couldn't even think about looking at them right now. She sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through her hair. She couldn't believe what was happening.

All she had ever wanted was to have a family. She wanted to be a mother so badly. And now she had just heard that that reality was practically impossible. It didn't help knowing that James had nothing wrong with him. Now she knew that it actually was her fault that she had lost three of her precious babies. None of them had even stood a chance. She had been destined to lose them from the start. And this knowledge shattered her already broken heart. She had no idea why her life was so hard. She wondered why the simple dream of a family was constantly being ripped from her. She hadn't done anything to deserve this. And to top it off, she felt like a horrible wife. She couldn't give her husband the children that he had always wanted. It wasn't fair that she had to experience this heartache and sorrow.

She noticed that she had silent tears lining her cheeks. With one swift movement, she brushed them away. She turned as she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Hey," James said as he cracked the door opened. He noticed her red and puffy eyes, and he slowly made his way across the room. He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and traced her jaw with his thumb. "It's going to be okay. I know we aren't in a great place right now, but that doesn't mean that things won't get better. And you heard Doc today: miracles do happen, I mean, we have Emma. I don't want you to lose hope of having a family someday. I have faith that it will happen."

"Faith isn't going to change anything. I can't have children James, and that's the reality we have to live with now."

"Yes you can, and I just know that we will have another child when the time is right. Our love is strong enough to overcome anything, and I know that it is capable of making this possible."

"That's hard to believe that when you have barely looked at me in the past month," she whispered.

He pulled his hand away. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She stood so that her eyes were level with his. "It means that I don't feel like you even love me anymore."

He shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. I'm being realistic." She folded her arms and her mouth turned into a scowl. "How do you think it makes me feel when you run off to the station all the time? How do you think it makes me feel when you barely talk to me, let alone look at me? I've felt true love before James, and whatever is between us right now sure isn't it."

"I'm sorry that you don't approve of the methods I use to get over my grief. You seem to forget that she was my daughter too!" he spat. His eyes grew wide as soon as the words flew from his mouth. He could see Snow trying to process the information.

She bit her lip as she held her eyes closed. She couldn't look at him right now. "You knew that it was a girl, and yet you didn't bother to tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you even more."

"You honestly think that I wouldn't want to know about my own daughter? Do you even know me James?"

"I'm sorry. I know it wasn't right to keep it from you-"

"No it wasn't," she growled as she looked back at him, a new fire in her eyes. "I feel like I don't even know you anymore. You keep secrets from me, you don't want to be around me, and you never have anything to say to me. Do you even want to be with me?"

"Of course I do Snow! How can you even suggest that? And don't act so innocent. You have been pushing me away at every opportunity. You are the one that doesn't talk to me or look at me. And don't pretend that you haven't been keeping secrets from me, because I know there is something you aren't telling me." His eyes narrowed as he spoke, and she felt her stomach drop. She didn't know how she could tell him about her deal with Rumplestiltskin. She had been hoping that they would never have this conversation.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She knew that he wouldn't believe her, but she wasn't ready to talk to him about this.

"Snow, I am married to you. I know when you're lying."

She looked at the ground. She might as well get this over with. "It is impossible for us to naturally have a child."

He raised his eyebrow. He was unsure of where this conversation was headed, but he decided not to question it. "No it's not. We have Emma, and she is proof that it is possible."

"No she isn't."

"Why not?"

She nervously twirled her ring as she took a deep breath. "I was desperate. I wanted a child so badly, and I couldn't bear to lose another one. So I went and got some help."

James's face fell. "Please tell me you didn't."

"Rumplestiltskin made me a potion that would guarantee that my child would be born. Once I got pregnant with Emma, I drank it."

"You made a deal with that imp? What price did you have to pay?"

"He didn't ask for anything in return."

James shook his head. "There is always a price with him. And now our family is indebted to him. I cannot believe that you would put us in this position."

"I did this for us! I wanted to have a child with you James! I wanted to be a mother and I knew that you wanted to be a father. I was running out of options, and I didn't know what else to do."

"You could have come to me. We could have worked it out together. But no. You chose to act alone without even bothering to consult me."

"Don't act like you've never done that before!"

"I do what I have to in order to protect my family! You know that that is all I ever think about!"

"You know what, I'm not so sure about that anymore," she stated.

He clenched his teeth. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I need you James, but you aren't here for me. And you promised that you always would be. But now when I need you most, you just run away. I can't get through this alone because I have been broken beyond repair. I've lost three of my babies James. You don't know what it's like to carry something so precious and something you love so much, just to have it taken from you. You don't know what it's like to feel it move, but yet you never even get to meet it. And now that we know that it is all my fault that we've lost them, it just destroys me James. You have no idea how much that breaks my heart. And yet when I turn to you looking for comfort, you turn away. I've never had to ask for your love before, and it hurts that I even need to. I don't know what's happened to us James, but I don't like it. I don't want to lose my husband too."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, but I have been hurt by this too. You act as if I'm not supposed to deal with my emotions. I'm mourning too, Snow, and I'm sorry if you don't like my methods. And you know, how am I supposed to comfort you when I'm broken on the inside as well?"

"We are supposed to get through this together. That's what it means to be married."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't."

She paused and looked him straight in the eyes. "Then maybe you should go deal with your problems somewhere else."

"You want me to leave?"

"You're not really here anyway."

He looked at the ground. With a defeated sigh, he turned and slowly walked out of the apartment.

She didn't make a move as he left. But as soon as she heard the front door close, she sank down onto the bed. She held her hand against her mouth as if it would hold in her sobs. It didn't.

* * *

Emma was having a bad day. Actually, she was having a bad month. Her family was falling apart, and she hated it. Plus she really shouldn't be involving herself with her parents' issues, but she didn't know what else she was supposed to do. She desperately wanted to mend things within her family, but she didn't know where to start. She wasn't good at dealing with issues like this.

She laid her head on her desk with a big sigh.

"Rough day?"

She cursed as she shot up. August was standing in the doorway of her office, a small smile shaping his lips. She hadn't even heard him come in.

"Don't do that!" she snapped.

He laughed. "Sorry, I thought you had heard me." She shook her head, and he walked further into her office. He leaned against her desk and raised an eyebrow. "So you didn't answer my question."

She leaned back in her chair and rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah. Rough few weeks actually."

He nodded. "I can tell. You're not acting like yourself."

"I'm just dealing with this the best way I can."

"That's all you're expected to do you know." He moved behind her chair and gently pushed her forward. He moved her hair off of her neck and lightly placed his thumbs at the base of her neck. He slowly rubbed them in small circles, careful to put just the right amount of pressure on her tense muscles.

She let out a quiet moan. "That feels so good."

He smiled. "I can tell that you need it."

"Keep this up and I might fall in love with you Booth."

He felt his mouth shape into a grin. "That's the plan," he whispered.

She tensed up and turned around. "Don't say things like that. You know how I feel about relationships."

"Sorry, but don't be a hypocrite. You're the one that always makes side comments that suggest that you do want to be with me."

She stood. "Whatever. I'm sorry if I've led you on, but I have no interest in starting something with you."

"All of your behavior seems to suggest otherwise."

She inched closer to him. "I don't know what game you're trying to play, but I'm getting sick of it. I don't want to be in a relationship, and that's not about to change. If you can't accept that, then please leave me alone."

"There's no way that I'm going to do that Emma. I care about you so much. Why is that so hard for you to understand? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to break your heart. All I want is the opportunity to make you happy. Why can't you give me the chance to prove that to you?"

Emma stared at him for a moment. She bit her lip as she thought about her response. August was being very vocal with his feelings, and she didn't know if she was ready for that yet. She had so much on her plate already, and she didn't want to have to figure out her feelings for August as well. This whole situation was complicated, and she just didn't have room for it in her life.

"I...uh...I have to go," she mumbled as she rushed out of her office.

"Emma! Don't run away from me! Don't run away from your feelings!" he called after her. She didn't stop until she was halfway down the street.

She hugged her middle as she started to shiver. In her rush to leave the station, she had left her coat in her office. Snow had started to fall, and that only made her colder. She hurried towards the apartment before she got frostbite. She could only imagine the conversation she would have with her mother if that happened.

"Emma?"

She turned towards the voice. She noticed her father briskly walking across the street, headed right towards her.

"Hey," she greeted.

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing," he said, his eyes full of concern.

She shrugged. "It's not too bad," she replied just as a shiver passed through her body. Her father raised an eyebrow as he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Where we're you headed?"

"Home. I left my coat at the station but I didn't want to go back."

He nodded. "I can walk you the rest of the way if you want."

"No, it's fine." She narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be at home."

He looked at the ground. "Don't worry about it. It's none of your concern."

She sighed. "Whatever is going on affects Henry and me as well, you know."

"I know."

"So that means that you must understand that despite the fact that you told me not to worry, I still am going to."

"I wish you wouldn't."

She pulled the jacket closer around her. "We both know that that's not going to happen."

He looked up at her. "Let me walk you home. You need to get out of this weather."

"You're the one without the jacket."

"I'll be fine."

She rolled her eyes but continued in the direction of the apartment. She didn't say anything else, and her father didn't even attempt to make any conversation. The silence was awkward, yet Emma didn't know what to say. They arrived at the building in no time, thankfully, since Emma was still shivering despite wearing her father's jacket. As she moved to climb the stairs, she noticed that her father didn't follow her.

She sighed. "Please tell me that you're coming home tonight?"

"Emma, please don't worry about your mother and I. We are just sorting out our differences, and that's all. I should be back tomorrow."

She walked closer to him. "That doesn't sound convincing at all. In fact, you make it seem like you're leaving. And that is all anyone has ever done in my life, so you might as well follow the trend."

"Emma, I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here, and everything is fine."

"Stop feeding me that crap!" she snapped, catching him off guard. "It's the farthest thing from fine! This family is breaking apart and there is nothing I can do to stop it. My parents can barely stand to be around each other, and yet they are supposed to be each other's true love. My son doesn't spend time with either of his grandparents anymore. I barely talk to you two, and even when we do, it's forced. I get it that you guys are upset about what happened, as am I, but we have to move on. We have to pick up the pieces and be a family again. Because if I lose this family, I don't know what I'll do."

James stood there, his mouth hanging slightly open. He had been shocked by how intense Emma suddenly became, and yet, he felt as if it was fitting. Emma had addressed their issues head on, and she hadn't tried to make it seem okay. She had admitted that there was a problem, and it needed to be fixed.

He stood up straighter and looked his daughter in the eye. "Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Okay, I'm going to fix this. I'm going to make this right. You don't have to worry Emma, because I'm not going to let you lose this family." He stepped forward and brushed his thumb across her cheek. She gave him a small smile, which he returned.

"So are you coming home?"

"Absolutely. Do you really think I could have stayed away?"

* * *

Snow sat at the kitchen table, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands and a frown on her face. She felt bad about her earlier argument with James, yet at the same time, she was glad it had happened. They both were burying so many issues, and it felt good to finally be open about what had occurred. She did miss him, yet she was glad that they were taking the time to think about things separately. She needed to clear her head before she spoke to him again, as she had been hurt by some of the things he had admitted. James had expressed that he felt as if he couldn't comfort her. That information stung, as they had always relied on one another in everything that they did. And no when she needed him the most, and he needed her, they were turning away from each other. It wasn't like them. They were in love, and people in love don't act this way.

She heard a key turn in the lock of the front door, and Emma entered. The blonde was shivering as she offered a small smile. Snow stood and returned the gesture. She noticed for the first time that her daughter was wearing James's coat, and she wondered why that was the case. Just as she was about to ask, another person came into the apartment, and she was not very happy to see this one.

"What are you doing here James?" she asked, her tone harsh. Despite the fact that she was displeased with the way they were acting around one another, she still didn't want to see him right now.

"Can we talk?"

She folded her arms. "I don't know, can we?"

Emma awkwardly moved towards her room in order to give her parents some privacy. Snow and James didn't break eye contact the entire time that Emma was climbing the stairs. As soon as her door was shut, James moved closer to his wife.

"I'm so so sorry for what I said. I was only thinking of myself. You need me, and I should step up and be the husband that I promised you I would be."

Snow didn't make a move. "I need you James. And you know that I never ask for help unless I desperately need it. And I need your help, or I'm never going to get better."

"I know. And I'm the same way. It's hard for me to admit that I need to rely on you as well. I can't do this alone either."

"So where does this put us James? Because I'm tired of this charade that we've kept up. I want to continue with our lives. I want things to go back to normal. We just got our family back, and yet it's already falling apart. How do you think that makes me feel?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, we have a lot of stuff we need to work out. I think it would be good if we went and got some counseling or something."

Snow's eyes narrowed. "Since when have I ever wanted to do anything like that? I don't want people, especially Jiminy, to know about our problems. That is our personal business, and I would rather that we not broadcast it to the entire world."

"Forget I suggested it. I was just thinking that it helped with Kathryn-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know we were talking about your other marriage. Please, tell me all about it. I'm just dying to know all about my husband's relationship with someone else. That would be the cherry on top of what has been a wonderful past few weeks," Snow told him, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking-"

"Maybe that's the problem James. You don't think about things anymore. You don't think about how I feel anymore. You know, you seem more like David every time I speak to you. And that's not a good thing, because David broke my heart."

"I'm not that guy! I'm a different person!"

"Lately it doesn't seem like it."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I can't help it Snow. His personality just leaks through, and I can't control it. It's not my fault that I was cursed to be this terrible guy. It hurts knowing what he did to you. And it hurts knowing that there was nothing I could do to stop him. I would never treat my wife like that, and yet, that is exactly what happened. And it's still happening."

She shook her head. "You act as if David was this separate being. But it was you all along. A different version of you, but still you."

"Look, I came here to apologize and try to work on things. Why do you have to make this so much harder than it needs to be?"

"Because I'm sick and tired of being hurt by you James." Snow didn't know why these harsh words kept coming out of her mouth. She didn't know where they were coming from. She hadn't thought about what happened with David in a long time, and yet, maybe she had never gotten over it. She had been hurt by James multiple times, but half the time it was partially her fault. She started these arguments with him, and she pushed his buttons. She didn't enjoy having heated arguments with her husband, and she never felt good about it. That was when she realized what was happening.

Snow was angry about losing her child. She was angry that she lost her chance to be a mother. She was angry that it was her fault that they couldn't naturally have children. She had so much anger built up inside her. She was angry at every obstacle both worlds had thrown her way. She was angry that her life was so difficult, and that no matter how hard she tried, her happy ending was ripped away from her. She had been keeping this anger to herself for so long that she had finally just exploded. She was letting it out on James, not because she was mad at him, but because she needed some way to channel her anger. She needed someone to yell at. And it didn't make it any better. It didn't release all the fury that was stored inside her. In fact, it just made it worse. She just wanted to be happy again, but she didn't know how to completely let go of every ounce of hurt and anger in her.

He looked at the ground. She could see the tears forming in his eyes. "James," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry for everything I've done. I'm sorry I'm such a terrible husband."

"Hey," she said as she walked closer to him. He looked up at her and their eyes automatically found each other. "I'm the one that should be apologizing. I'm the one that has started all of this. I'm the one that has treated you poorly. I've just been letting out all of my anger and hurt on you, and that isn't fair to you. I'm so sorry James."

"Look, I'm just as much to blame. We both have just been looking for ways to cope, and we both made poor decisions." He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. They both froze at the gesture, as they hadn't shown any forms of intimacy for weeks.

"I just need a way to let all of this go."

"So do I."

"Can we just start over? Together?"

He nodded. "Together," he stated as he pulled her into a tight embrace. They stood there for a moment, glad to have finally found one another once again.

**Hope you enjoyed! Please review! **


	28. Chapter 28

**It feels like it has been forever since I've updated...I'm really sorry but life has been crazy and I have had no time to write. Hopefull things will die down and I'll have more time to write.**

**I know that some of the characters seemed very OOC last chapter, but remeber, they just went through a traumatic event. They might not be dealing with things in the best ways, but then again, what do we we expect them to do? I'm willing to defend any and all my decisions for this story, and if anyone has issues with something or just wants to discuss things, feel free to pm me or leave a review. I'm always opened to talk to any of my wonderful readers.**

**So I just realized that this story has been running for 6 months! I just want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and messaged me. Whether you have been her since day one or this is the first time you've looked at this story, I just want you to know that I am truly grateful for your devotion to this fic. It means the world to me to have such wonderful followers. I write this story for you, and it has been an honor toying with your emotions for half of a year :) I can't wait to continue on, and I hope you all are excited to see what comes next. Thank you all so much for being the best readers a writer could ask for.**

**As usual, I would like to thank ladywolf101 for being an amazing beta.**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

John groaned as he opened his eyes. The light that was streaming in through his blinds was way too bright for his liking. He buried his head in his pillow in an attempt to regain sleep, but it was unsuccessful. He slid out of bed and headed to the kitchen. His movements were slow and he stumbled a lot, a direct result of his current hangover. He held his hand against his head as he felt a sharp pain radiate from within his skull. This feeling wasn't unfamiliar to him, but that didn't mean that he liked it. He opened the fridge, only to discover that he was completely out of food. Wait, there was one slice of four day old pizza left. He shrugged as he grabbed it and shoved it into his mouth. As he sunk down into a chair, he happened to glance at the clock on his stove. He cursed as he realized that he was late for work. He could just stay home and sleep, but he figured he might as well show up sometime, or he wouldn't get paid. And he needed money, so that wasn't an option. He somehow managed to get dressed and somewhat cleaned up. He didn't look his best, but he didn't care. It wasn't as if he had ever tried to make good impressions on anyone. At least not anymore.

He arrived at the casino within minutes. He had been working here for a little over four years. He only got the job because he was good friends with the owner. Not that it mattered. Unlike most aspects in his life, he knew what he was doing here. These types of people were who he had been hanging around since he was fourteen. He knew exactly how to make money off of them, and that was always a benefit. He was in constant need of cash, and it didn't hurt to have a steady job that paid well.

He was sitting behind his desk in his office massaging his temples when he heard a knock on the door. He waved the person in without looking up.

"You look horrible John."

He made eye contact with the speaker and laughed. "Brad, you sound surprised."

"I'm not. Hangover?"

"Yep. They suck."

Brad sat in one of the empty chairs. "So, I did need to talk to you about something."

"Shoot."

"I think you should take a break. Take a few weeks off, go on vacation, and just relax a little."

John raised his eyebrow. "If you want to fire me you should just go ahead and do it."

Brad laughed. "Trust me, we plan on keeping you around."

"Then why do you want to get rid of me?"

"You've been getting worse John. When I met you twelve years ago, you were already in a bad place. But now you've hit rock bottom. I don't know what you're trying to escape from, but drugs and alcohol won't fix any of your problems. You need to get away and take the stress out of your life. Because if you keep this up, I'm going to have to let you go, and I really don't want to do that."

John sighed. "Look, I don't have any issues. I'm fine. Honestly. And I don't need to get away or anything like that."

"It's not rehab or anything. As your friend, I'm suggesting that you take a vacation. Most people would jump at the opportunity."

John rolled his eyes. "Please don't try to sugar coat things. You're hoping that I'll decide to get clean, and that I will turn my life around, and that I will magically be happy. Well I hate to break it to you, but that isn't going to happen. My life sucks, and it's not going to get better. So please just butt out and leave me alone."

Brad shook his head. "You're passing up a great opportunity. Did I mention that it would be a paid vacation? Yeah, and I was going to offer you the use of my cabin up in New England. But whatever. If you don't want to go, you don't want to go."

John perked up. "You never said anything about a paid trip and a cabin."

"Well you didn't let me get to it."

"I'm in."

"I knew I could convince you," Brad said as he chuckled. "Listen, you can head out whenever you want, just give me a heads up about a week before you leave. And remember, I'm not trying to send you to rehab or anything, because I know that that doesn't work for you. This is just a way to get away and lose some stress."

"I know I'm a pain but I do appreciate it. I do have too much stress in my life, and I need to unload it."

Brad stood and turned to leave the office. "Nice talking to you John. We should play a game of poker before you leave today."

"Sounds good," John said as he shuffled through some papers on his desk. As his friend opened the door, he looked up from his work. "Hey Brad?"

"Yeah?"

"Where did you say your cabin was again?"

"Oh, it's in Maine."

"Maine?"

"Yeah. It's beautiful up there."

John gave a small nod. He had a good feeling about Maine.

* * *

"Morning beautiful," James whispered as Snow yawned. She scooted closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Can't we just sleep all day?"

"Well I've got to go pick out a Christmas tree with Henry, so no. Plus we have that Christmas party tonight."

She buried her face in his neck. "Don't even think about leaving, Charming."

He laughed as he ran his fingers through her hair. "As much as I would love to continue this, I made a promise to my grandson, and I intend to keep it. Plus you love the Christmas season, and you get to decorate the apartment with our lovely daughter today."

Snow sighed. "You know just how to persuade me, don't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She leaned forward and placed a peck on the scar on his chin. He smiled and gave her a soft kiss in return before he pulled away. "I know exactly what you're doing."

"Kissing my husband?"

"No, you're trying to manipulate me into staying here all day with you. Well, your tricks have never worked on me, temptress," he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "That's a lie. My tricks always work on you. And I'm not a temptress, I'm your wife."

"Point taken," he mumbled as he gave her a few more quick kisses. "We better get up," he whispered after a moment.

"You ruin all the fun," she told him with a smile as she rolled out of bed. He flashed her one in return as he tossed her her robe. They walked out into the kitchen together, their fingers interlocked.

It seemed as if their family had taken a complete U-turn. Just a few weeks ago they had been completely different versions of themselves, and now it was as if everything was back to normal. They cooked and ate together, and then there was usually some family time after dinner. Snow finally smiled and laughed again, even though she hasn't thought it was possible. James and Emma spent a lot of time working on cases together, and the sheriff station was nowhere near as depressing as it used to be. James took Henry to the stables whenever it wasn't snowing, and Emma and Snow often accompanied them. Slowly they started spending more time away from home, much to the delight of their friends. The family had been missed, and everyone was glad to see that each of them had found a way to be happy again.

Emma sat at the counter next to Henry, each of them devouring a bowl of cereal. The blonde smiled at her parents as they walked in, earning two in return.

"When are we going to go get the tree?" Henry asked between bites.

James smiled. "Let me just eat something real fast and then we can get going."

"It's going to be huge," the boy excitedly stated.

"It better fit in this apartment. We don't have room for something too big," Snow explained. Henry and James each got a mischievous look in their eyes. Emma and Snow shook their heads in disbelief as they ate their breakfasts.

It didn't take long for the boys to eat and get ready. Henry could barely move because of all the layers he had on, and James was pretty bundled up as well. "Henry, we better get going. We still have to pick up the axe," James told his grandson. He gave his wife a quick kiss before he turned to leave.

"Be a good boy," Emma said to her son as she ruffled his hair. He grinned at her as he bounded out of the apartment, leaving Emma and Snow alone.

"Well, we should probably start decorating," Snow told Emma.

The blonde groaned. "Can't we just sit around and watch a movie instead?"

"Come on, it will be fun."

"I highly doubt that."

Snow rolled her eyes as she started bringing boxes of decorations into the living room. Emma gave in and started to help, despite the fact that she was complaining as much as possible. There weren't too many things to put up anyway, and eventually Emma found herself having fun, much to her surprise.

Snow had turned the radio on, and Emma found herself singing along to the cheesy Christmas music that she had always despised. She caught herself after a few verses of "Jingle Bell Rock" and immediately shut her mouth.

"You aren't going to continue that little concert?" Snow said with a smirk as she hung the stockings.

"I can't stand Christmas music."

"Yet you know every word of that song."

"Everyone in the English speaking world knows that song."

"Okay, I'll give you that, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself for someone who supposedly hates Christmas music," Snow mentioned.

"It's not the music itself that I hate. It's the memories that go with it," she mumbled.

Snow's eyes widened. She cleared her throat. "What kind of memories?"

"I'm not going to talk about it if that's what you're asking."

"I'm not going to push, but if there is something that I need to know then you should tell me."

"Don't worry about it. It's not even that big of a deal."

Snow sighed. "Emma, our definitions of 'big deals' are pretty different."

Emma was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. Henry ran through, a huge smile on his face. "Gramps is on his way up. Our tree is awesome!" he exclaimed.

They could hear James's labored breaths as he made his way up the stairs. Emma moved to go give him a hand, but he shook his head as he moved into the doorway. "I got it...I got it..." he told them.

"That's very convincing, James," Snow said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"If I can make it up the stairs, than I can get it to the living room." He managed to drag it to the corner of the living room, and he took a second to catch his breath. With a burst of strength he pushed it upright and set it down. Emma could see why her father had been having a somewhat rough time. The tree nearly touched the ceiling, and the trunk was actually pretty thick. James wiped the sweat from his brow as he stood next to his wife.

"Henry, did you have to pick the biggest tree?" Emma asked.

"There were bigger ones," the boy stated with a grin.

"Trust me, I vetoed about a dozen different ones," James said, earning laughs from his wife and his daughter.

Snow clapped her hands together. "Okay guys, time to decorate this tree."

Emma groaned as Henry excitedly ran upstairs. He came down a moment later with a shoebox filled with homemade ornaments. He immediately started to hang them on the branches, and the adults began to follow his lead. Pretty soon the tree was practically covered with decorations, and mostly paper ones thanks to Henry.

Emma walked upstairs to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. She hoped no one would notice, as Henry was bursting with energy and her parents were actively invested I the task at hand. She pulled a box out of her closet and sat on her bed. She opened the flaps and began to dig around in the contents. She came across a small box, and she pulled it out. It was covered with a small layer of dust, and she gently brushed it off. She cautiously opened it, not sure if she was ready to face what was inside.

It was a ceramic circle ornament that had been broken into three pieces, but it was glued back together. She had made it in second grade when she was eight years old. She had painted her name on it, accompanied by a handprint. At the time she had been living at her foster house for about a month. She didn't know the parents too well, but she figured that they weren't too bad. Sometimes the mom had a temper, but for the most part they were just regular people. She had decided to give the ornament to them in order to get on their good side. She had already been bounced around between homes, and she had wanted to stay. She figured that by giving her foster parents a gift, they would grow to care for her and she would be able to stay. But she had been wrong. When she had given her foster mother the ornament, the woman had gone into a rage, mainly because she had been drunk at the time Emma now realized. She had yelled at Emma for what had seemed like a century, emphasizing that Emma didn't mean a thing to them and that she didn't belong to them. Emma remembered cowering in the corner. The woman threw the ornament to the ground, breaking it into a few pieces. And then her foster mother had turned on the radio to maximum volume so no one could hear what was going on. Cheesy Christmas music was all that Emma could hear as her foster mother beat her. It was the first of many beatings Emma would receive, and the pain that came with it was still fresh in Emma's mind. Now every time she heard Christmas music she was transported back into that corner at the mercy of her foster mother. And it still hurt. Emma had kept the ornament for years after she had out it back together. She didn't really know why, but she figured that it was because she wanted to show it to her parents one day. And now she had that chance, and she didn't know if she was ready to take that step.

She wiped at her eyes as she traced the ridges on the ornament. She heard a soft knock on the door, and she quickly closed the box and moved to put it away.

"Hey Emma, we were going to put the star on the tree-" Snow started as she opened the door. She froze as she took in the scene in front of her. She moved towards her daughter and sat down next to her. "What's going on?"

Emma shook her head. "Nothing. I was just looking at some old stuff. I'll be down in a sec."

Snow tilted her head. "I know you Emma, and I know that this isn't nothing," she said as she brushed a tear off of Emma's cheek.

"Just some memories, that's all."

"What kind of memories?"

Emma sighed as she reached for the box and handed it to Snow. "You should have this." Snow opened it and gasped. To her it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She adored her little girl's handwriting and handprint. "Sorry it's broken. My foster mom threw it at me, but I put it back together."

Snow looked up. "You mean to tell me that someone broke my baby's gift to them?"

"She wasn't too happy that I made her a personalized present. To be fair, it was a little out of line."

"It's never out of line to care for someone Emma. You didn't do anything to deserve that."

Emma gave her mother a small smile. She decided not to share the whole story. It would just break Snow's heart even more, and Emma didn't want that to happen.

"It's yours now," the blonde stated. "I kept it so that I could throw it in your face someday, but I figured that you would rather hang it on the tree."

Snow laughed. "You know me so well." She leaned forward and pulled Emma into a hug. "Thank you. This means a lot."

"I know."

"Come on," Snow said as she stood. "Your father is anxious to put the star on the top." She held out her hand to Emma, and the blonde grasped it, happy to have her mother by her side.

* * *

"Are you sure that you want to go tonight?" James asked as he buttoned up his shirt.

Snow shrugged on a sweater. "It's going to be hard, but I'm going to be fine," she told him as she walked across the room. She gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks for being so worried about me."

"It's just that it's the first big thing we've done in a while. I don't want to overwhelm you. I know you aren't really excited about facing everyone."

"I can handle a simple Christmas party. I think it will be good to get out of the house and have some fun. I've missed spending time with all of our friends."

He pulled her into a tight hug. "I hope you know that I'm not leaving your side at all tonight."

"I would be surprised if you did."

He laughed as he kissed her forehead. He interlocked their fingers and they went out to the kitchen. Emma and Henry were already shrugging on their coats, and Snow and James followed their lead.

"Everybody ready?" James inquired. He earned three nods, and the family headed outside. It was lightly snowing, and there was a chilly breeze, so they all quickly headed for the car. Henry's teeth were already chattering as they pulled away, and Emma was rubbing her hands together in an effort to create some heat. The car ride wasn't that long, and they all hurried into Granny's in an attempt to get out of the cold.

Red was the first one to greet them as they shed their coats. She gave each of them hugs, with a high five for Henry. She gave them a minute to collect themselves before she pulled Snow to the side.

"I'm so glad you came," she told her friend with I big smile. "I was worried that it was going to be too overwhelming."

Snow shrugged. "I'm alright. I'm just going to take it easy tonight."

Red folded her arms. "That's a good mindset to have." The woman bit her lip, debating on whether or not to dive deeper into Snow's emotions. She knew that it probably wasn't the best idea, but she was concerned for her friend and she did want to know how she was doing. "How have things been lately?"

"There are good days and bad days. Today's a good day," she stated with a small nod. "It's just...I was so angry for a while that I didn't even know what to do with myself. You know, my heart was broken and I just didn't know how to pick the pieces up." Snow paused, realizing that she had just confided a lot in Red. She wasn't surprised, as she was never afraid to talk to her friend. Her words had just spilled out, mainly because she wanted to admit her feelings to someone who was there for her. She knew that Red cared about her and that she would understand. Even though she tried not to talk about her emotions, she couldn't keep anything from her friend.

Red reached out and placed her hand on her best friend's shoulder. "I'm glad that you're finally getting back to normal. It's been miserable around here without you. I've missed you a lot."

"You know, I've missed me too," Snow stated with a smile. She pulled her friend into a hug. "I've missed you Red."

"Well, you're back now, and that's all that matters."

Snow pulled away. She spotted James staring at her from across the room. "I should go over to my husband. He's been in a very protective mood lately."

"James? Protective? What is this madness?"

Snow laughed with her friend. "I know. It's so unlike him." She shook her head. "Can you even imagine a James that isn't protective?"

Red shook her head. "Nope. Not at all."

The two women laughed as they rejoined the party.

Emma noticed how different her mother was acting already. She had started to see the old Snow return, and it was comforting to know that the woman was having a good time. She and James had secretly plotted this evening together in hopes of helping Snow adjust to normal life even more. The blonde kept sneaking glances at her father, and she was often met with smiles or thumbs up. She was glad that their plan worked, and even happier that her mother was acting like herself more and more.

She talked to a few people, but she wasn't too invested in the party. Not that she minded, really. She kind of liked having some down time, so she was content with sitting in a booth and enjoying the company of others while not being the center of attention.

The blonde saw him approach out of the corner of her eye, and she inwardly groaned. She had been having a good time, and she desperately wanted to avoid dealing with complicated feelings. Yet she couldn't resist shooting him a smile as he leaned against the table at her booth.

"Emma," August said as he gave her a grin in return. "It's nice to see you."

"Yeah, it's been a while since we really talked." She twirled her thumbs as she spoke.

"Actually, I was wondering if we could go somewhere private."

She sighed. "And why is that?"

"You'll see."

She didn't know why she agreed so easily, and a few moments later she found herself bundled up and slowly walking next to August. "So tell me why you had to lure me away."

He had no idea where he was going. His mind was preoccupied with other things, and he had no control over where his legs were taking them. He paused and turned towards her. It was now or never, and he didn't think that he would ever be ready. He ran his fingers through his hair and took a few deep breaths. It was gutsy, what he was about to do. Emma wasn't going to like it. Yet for some reason he didn't care. He was willing to risk everything for the slim chance that Emma loved him back.

"So I could do this." He crossed the space between them. His hands moved up to her face and cupped her cheeks. He pulled her face towards his and crashed his lips against hers. He held her close to him as he showed her how much he loved her. Time froze and his world stopped spinning. He saw fireworks. It was the most amazing kiss that he had ever had, and he never wanted it to end.

Emma had been caught completely off guard. She hadn't expected him to make such a bold move. She pulled away from him and her mouth hung open in shock. "What was that? Do you think that you can just kiss me whenever you feel like it?"

"I love you Emma Swan. I haven't stopped thinking about you since the moment I came here. You're the most amazing and beautiful woman I have ever had the honor of getting to know. You have always been there for me, and I desperately want to be there for you. I want to be your rock and the person who comforts you. I want to be your best friend. I want to love you with my whole heart. I want to give myself to you for forever. There is no one else that even compares to you Emma. I want you. I want to be with you more than I've ever wanted something. I have so much love to give and I need the chance to show you how much you mean to me. I need you to give me the chance to make you happy. You are all that I need and all that I want. I'm tired of pushing my emotions to the side. I am so completely and helplessly in love with you that I can barely stand it anymore. I love you Emma Swan."

She didn't know what to say. A guy had never spoken words full of such love to her before. She had never had a relationship with anyone because no guy had ever really cared for her. But now August was here and she could see the love in his eyes and she could hear it in his words. She had felt it in his kiss. And she didn't know if she was ready to accept it, but she loved him as well. She couldn't get him out of her head. She knew that he could make her happy, and that was all that she wanted. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. And she loved him just as much as he loved her.

Emma struggled to get words to come out as she was still in shock. "I...I...I know what I want."

"And what is that?" he asked as he moved closer to her.

"You."

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into the most passionate kiss of her life. She ran her fingers through his hair, and she felt him pull her closer to him. It was as if they were the only two people on the planet at that moment. She half expected cheesy eighties music to start playing. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, their lips never parting. It was if they had just discovered how deep their feelings really were for one another. August had known he loved her and Emma had known that she loved him, yet words couldn't describe what they were feeling as they stood in the middle of the street, locked in a kiss that would forever change their lives.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. They stood there in silence as they each tried to comprehend what had just happened. He cleared his throat after some time. "What exactly does this mean for us?" he whispered.

She looked up into his eyes. "I don't know if I'm ready for a full-on relationship. I need to take things really slow. I am willing to commit, I'm just not ready to be public about things yet."

"Whatever you want," he told her as he tucked one of her curls behind her ear. "I'm just happy to be with you."

Emma smiled. "And I'm happy to be with you."

They shared another kiss before breaking apart and heading back towards the diner. August grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers as they walked. It felt so right. He didn't ever want to let go, but he did as they crossed the street towards Granny's. Emma gave him a huge grin before giving him a quick peck. They rejoined the party, only to discover that no one had really noticed their absence. Except for Snow. Emma could feel her mother's eyes one her every few moments, but she chose to ignore it.

Eventually the evening came to an end and the Charmings decided to return home. Henry was already acting tired, plus Snow and James were pretty drained. It seemed to take them forever to make it home, but eventually they were shedding their coats in the living room.

"Okay Henry, you better get to bed," Emma told her son.

He groaned. "But it's Christmas Eve! Can't I stay up a little while longer?"

"Santa can't come if you're awake," James said.

Henry sighed. "Fine." He gave his grandparents quick hugs before he went to brush his teeth.

Emma turned to her father. "Please tell me that Santa is make believe and that he doesn't actually exist."

He laughed. "Well he doesn't live in this town."

"Good," Emma stated. She headed upstairs to go tuck her son in. He wasn't too happy about being sent to bed, but he was already yawning as he snuggled under the covers. "Do you want me to read you a story?" she asked as she brushed some hair out of his eyes.

"No, I'm actually pretty tired."

She smiled. "I knew it." She planted a kiss on his forehead. "Sleep well. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom."

Emma quietly made her way back downstairs. Her parents were sitting around the kitchen table, engaged in light conversation.

Her father smiled as she took a seat next to them. "Is he asleep?"

"Practically, but I'm going to wait a few minutes to make sure that he's passed out. I don't want to run the risk of him peeking." She glanced up at her bedroom in order to see if the door was open. She was relieved when she discovered that her son wasn't eavesdropping.

"You know, you should get to bed as well. Santa won't come if you're awake either," Snow teased.

"You are actually aware that I am almost thirty, right?"

Snow laughed. "Yes, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to treat you like it." Emma stuck out her tongue in response. "You aren't really convincing me otherwise."

"Whatever," the blonde replied with an eye roll.

James laughed as he stood. "I'm going to go make us some hot chocolate."

"Don't forget the cinnamon," Emma said as he walked towards the kitchen.

"I wouldn't even think about it," he stated, earning laughs from his daughter and wife.

Emma sighed. "It's been a long day. I've never been so busy on Christmas Eve before."

"Well, how do you usually spend the day?" Snow asked.

The blonde leaned back in her chair. "I usually work. Most people have family to visit, so everyone hates the Christmas shifts. I make it easy for all of them and just work so they don't have to."

"That's really thoughtful."

"I don't really have anything else to do," Emma said with a shrug. "I got tired of spending the holidays just hanging around my apartment. It kind of sucked. Even the pathetic celebrations put on by social workers were better than cheesy movies and cheap beer."

Snow stared at her daughter. "Well, you don't have to be alone ever again."

Emma nodded. "I know. And that's pretty awesome."

**I hope this chapter made up for the hiatus I caused...**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as I had fun writing it!**

**So since I write this story for you, I want to make sure that you guys are reading what you want. If there is anything you would like to see come up in this fic, please, please, please review or pm me. I would really like to incorporate something from you guys, since this story is for you. If I use any of your ideas, which believe me I will, I will give you a heads up and then mention you in that specific chapter. **

**By the way, there was a small easter egg in this chapter from one of my favorite movies. I will mention every person who finds it at my next update. Let me know if you need a clue!**

**I would also like you all to know that you are welcome to ask for sneak peeks from me! It helps motivate me, and I love hearing from you!**

**Thank you for reading, and please review!**


	29. Chapter 29

**I am just going to apologize for the long wait. Life has never been crazier, and I hate not having time to write! Luckily Spring Break is coming up, so I will definitely make up for all of these hiatuses.**

**So I mentioned that there was an easter egg in the last chapter, and a lot of you found it! When Emma and Snow are talking about the song "Jingle Bell Rock", Emma mentions that "Everyone in the English speaking world knows that song", which is a quote from the movie "Mean Girls". Congrats to fandommaniac, curlyteeful, and 123faroutglee for finding it!**

**Shout out to ArtemisAzkadelliaRika for inspiring one of the scenes in this chapter.**

**As always...ladywolf101 is an awesome beta.**

**I'm not going to keep you guys waiting any longer...enjoy! **

"Mom, wake up," Henry said as he hopped on Emma's bed. When the blonde didn't respond, he proceeded to shake her. "Mom. Mom. Mooommm."

"Let me sleep," she mumbled as she pushed him away. It was no secret that she wasn't a morning person.

"But it's Christmas and it snowed and there are presents and Grandma made breakfast and you need to wake up because they won't let me start without you," he told her, the words rushing out of his mouth.

She groaned. "Five more minutes..."

Henry jumped off of the bed and ran to the door. "She won't get up!" he yelled down to his grandparents.

James appeared on the stairs moments later. "I guess she just needs some help," he whispered, a mischievous smile plastered across his face.

"Leave her alone, you two! It's not even six yet!" Snow called to them from the kitchen.

James tiptoed over to the window. He gave a thumbs up to Henry, and in a synchronized movement, the boy ripped the covers off his mother while James opened the blinds. The room filled with bright light, and Emma's eyes instinctively squeezed shut. She was hit with the chilly air in the room, and she curled up into a ball and shivered.

"What is your problem?" she spat as she tried to yank the sheets back on.

"Get up or I'm going to have to spray you with cold water," James told her. She threw a pillow at him as she rolled out of bed. He laughed as he caught it and tossed it right back at her. "See, that wasn't too hard."

She stuck her tongue out at him as she descended downstairs. James and Henry shared a quick high five as they joined their family around the table.

"I tried to stop them," Snow mentioned to her daughter as Emma took a seat.

"At least someone is on my side," the blonde mumbled, earning a smile from her mother.

"My pleasure. Oh, Merry Christmas," Snow said as she sat down.

"Merry Christmas sleepy head," James told his daughter with a wink.

"Thanks. Merry Christmas to you guys as well," she responded as she began to dig into her breakfast.

Snow had made cinnamon rolls with hot chocolate. They all devoured the delicious meal, and in no time they had gravitated towards the living room. It was no secret that Henry was eager to rip into his presents, and the adults were just as excited to indulge him.

Just as Henry reached for a neatly wrapped present, Emma stopped him. "I don't think so kid."

He groaned. "Come on!"

"Nope. We are doing Christmas the proper way whether you like it or not," the blonde said as she folded her arms over her chest.

"And what exactly is the 'proper' way?" Snow asked. She was definitely curious to see what her daughter's idea of Christmas was, and James felt the same way. They both sat on the edge of their seats, waiting for Emma to share the tiniest tidbit of her life with them. It might have seemed silly how invested they were into hearing parts of the blonde's background, but they didn't care. They wanted to know everything about their little girl, no matter how big or small.

"Well, there was this one family I stayed with for a while, and I really liked how they would open their presents on Christmas. There's one person who plays 'Santa'. That person is in charge of grabbing the gifts one by one and then passing them out to people. Then everyone watches each person open their gift. It takes a lot longer, but it's so much better than everyone ripping into their presents at once and then the fun is over in just a few minutes."

James smiled. "I really like this 'proper' way. Henry, why don't you be 'Santa'?"

The boy's face morphed into a grin. He hurried over to the tree and picked out a present for each member of the family. Once everyone held a gift, the family members looked to Emma.

"Henry, you can go first," she told her son. His mouth moved into an enormous smile.

"Finally!" He ripped into his gift without a second thought. It was a small box from his mother, and he discovered that it contained a new video game that he had been eyeing for weeks. "No way! You actually got it!"

"Did you ever doubt I would?" she responded with a chuckle.

"Emma, why don't you go next?" Snow mentioned after Henry had calmed down a bit.

The blonde nodded and began to open her present. She was careful not to rip the paper, and eventually she held a brand new camera in her hand. She pulled it out of its box, and upon further inspection, discovered that not only was it new, it was also very nice.

"How did you know I've wanted a really good camera?"

Snow shrugged. "You told me once that you used to like photography growing up and that you always wished that you had pursued it."

Emma smiled. "This is really awesome. Thank you so much."

"There is a catch. You have to agree to take family pictures once in a while," James said with a grin. She groaned in response, causing her parents to laugh.

They moved on to Snow and James. Emma noticed that they each were holding the presents that she had given them. She was excited to see their responses to the things that she had put a lot of thought into.

Snow's face broke into a smile that second she pulled her present out of its box. It was a white mug, the perfect size for hot chocolate, and it was monogrammed. On one side there was a large 'SW' inscribed, but the other side is what caught her attention. The mug's smooth surface was covered with three letters that spelled out the word 'Mom'. Emma had obviously put a lot of thought into this gift, and it already meant the world to the brunette. She traced the letters with her fingers, and she could practically feel Emma's eyes on her.

"I figured that we drink so much hot chocolate around here that we might as well have our own personal mugs," the blonde stated in an obvious attempt to distract her parents from the word printed on the side of the mug.

James quickly opened his gift, but he knew what it was already. That didn't change the fact that he couldn't help but grin as he stared at the word 'Dad'. He could tell that Snow felt the exact same way about Emma's gifts for them. They were both overjoyed at their daughter's very bold and loving gesture. It proved that they were making progress as a family. While James could see that these theories surrounding a mug were on an extremely large scale, the prince didn't care. He had just received an amazing gift from his wonderful daughter, and he couldn't be happier.

In no time the family was surrounded by shredded wrapping paper and their small piles of gifts. Henry and Emma had each received a bow and arrows set from Snow and James, Henry's being just a toy. The boy had also been given a generous stack of comic books from his grandfather and many different toys from his grandmother, while Emma had been fated with giving him the dreadful present of new clothes. Not that he minded, as his mother had made up for it with a few video games and movies that he had had his eye on. Emma had wanted a smaller Christmas for herself so that Henry could get most of the attention, as he was still a kid, and she was grateful that her parents didn't go too overboard. While she loved the idea of people wanting to give her gifts, she didn't need grand gestures to assure her that they loved her.

There were only a few small gifts left under the tree. Henry handed his grandmother a present that was from Emma. The brunette opened it, anxious to see what was inside. She pulled out a few DVDs and began to read the titles out loud.

"'Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves', 'Snow White and the Huntsman', and 'Mirror Mirror'. I wonder what all of these have in common," she stated as she looked over at Emma.

The blonde had a huge smile on her face. "It's funny!" she said as her mother narrowed her eyes. "Come on, you should have at least seen it coming."

"She's right, you know," James told his wife.

"Okay, my mom is freaking Snow White. You can't expect me not to have a movie marathon."

At that moment Snow's face broke into a huge grin. "Okay, but don't be surprised when I comment on everything."

"I would be more surprised if you didn't," Emma responded.

Snow laughed. "Well despite the fact that they probably get everything wrong, I do love my gift. Thank you."

"What I want to know is why I don't get any movies," James said to his daughter with mock offense.

"Well, they do portray some interesting princes in those movies. I do have to say that the guy in tights in the Disney version is probably my favorite."

"Ooh this might be a lot more fun than I expected," Snow replied with a smile. James's eyes grew wide and he shook his head with exaggerated horror.

* * *

Henry was busy flipping through his new comics, and James sat next to him, just as engrossed in the activity. Emma was filling a trash bag full of discarded paper, while Snow was working on getting lunch in the oven. As the blonde finished cleaning up, she set the bag by the front door and joined her mother in the kitchen.

"Can I help with anything?"

The brunette shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm pretty much done."

Emma nodded and was just about to say something when she felt her phone buzz. She checked the caller I.D. and felt a small smile shape her lips. "I've got to take this but I'll be right back," she told her mother before she headed upstairs. She hopped on her bed and held the phone to her ear. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too beautiful," August said. She could practically see the flirtatious grin on his face. "I would come see you, but it's snowed about a foot already and it's still coming down pretty hard. Plus the fact that you don't want your parents to know that we are official."

She laughed. "I still can't believe that you actually said yes to that. Actually I can't believe that I agreed to be in a relationship in the first place."

"Well, I guess it doesn't really count since we can't change our relationship status on Facebook."

"Because nothing's official unless it's on the Internet," she stated through a chuckle.

"I guess we're good then." He paused for a moment before he spoke again. "I can't stop thinking about kissing you."

She fell back on the bed and started twirling a few strands of her hair. "Me either."

"I can't wait to see you again."

"You just saw me last night."

"True, but you're all I can think about."

She smiled. "I can't stop thinking about you either."

"You know, since I can't come give you your first gift, I'm going to go ahead and give you your second gift."

"And what would that be?"

"Every day that I'm with you, I'm going to tell you one thing I love about you. And today, I just want you to know that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

She could feel herself blush. "I hate it when you say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because you're the only guy who has ever meant it, and I'm still not sure how to respond."

He was silent for a moment. "Well, I promise you that I will mean it every single time. Because it's true, Emma. You are beautiful, amazing, and you deserve to be loved. And trust me when I say that I am never going to let you forget that."

"You're too good to be true."

"Maybe, but I'll still love you either way."

"Good." Emma could feel herself break into an even bigger smile. Just talking to August made her happy. She loved hearing his voice, and she loved listening to him assure his love for her. She had rarely heard those words from anyone in her life, let alone a guy that she wanted to be with. It seemed like a dream, mainly because she couldn't believe that this was actually happening.

"Hey sweetheart, as much as I would love to spend the rest of the night talking to you, I've got to go. I'll definitely talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"I'm going to be looking forward to it."

"You don't have to say it back if you're not ready, but I want you to know that I love you."

The blonde bit her lip. "One day I'll say it. But for now, I just want you to know that I love the idea of loving you. I think you could make me really happy."

"All I need is a chance to prove It."

"I'll let you go. It was great talking to you," she told him. He said a quick farewell before she disconnected the call. She sighed as she tossed her phone onto her nightstand.

She had a million thoughts running through her head. Mostly about love. There was something about being committed to another person. She liked the idea of relying on August and completely giving herself to him, but at the same time she was cautious. She had never truly loved someone, and she didn't know if she was ready to do it. Love was a big deal and it definitely wasn't easy, but at the end of the day, she knew that it would bring her happiness. And that's all that she really wanted.

She was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't hear the soft knock on the door. "Emma?" she heard her mother's voice say.

She sighed. "Come in."

Snow quietly entered her daughter's room, only to find Emma spread out on the bed. The blonde stared blankly at the ceiling as she played with her hair. It was obvious that she was deep in thought, and Snow wasn't sure if she was being a bother. "Lunch is ready."

Emma nodded. "I'll be right down." Snow smiled and turned to leave, but was stopped by her daughter's voice. "How do you know when you love someone?"

The brunette faced her daughter and raised her eyebrow. Emma rarely talked about love because the subject made her uncomfortable. It was strange that the blonde was the one bringing it up in the first place. Snow could sense a serious conversation coming, so she laid on the bed next to the blonde. She stared up at the ceiling and began to construct her answer in her head.

"Love is something that you feel inside you. It consumes every part of you. It's in your heart and your mind. It doesn't begin and it doesn't end. It's difficult to pinpoint the moment you fall in love. Usually it just happens. One day you realize that you have loved someone all along, and that you can't imagine life without them anymore. There will be a moment where you just know that without a doubt, you're in love. It's not something that can be dissected or explained. Love is a feeling, a thought, and an action. Love is what guides our lives. The quest to find love is what motivates us to keep living. And once you have love, you never want to stop showing it. Love brings the ultimate happiness. I've heard many people say that love is weakness, but it's actually strength. When you know that you have that strength inside you, that is when you know that you love someone. When you can't imagine spending a second of your life without that person, that is when you know you love them. When you look at them and you know that you are where you are supposed to be, that is when you know that you love them. And when you completely give your heart to them, that is when you know you love them."

Emma was silent for a moment, and Snow could see the blonde attempting to digest her mother's reply. "How do you do that?"

"What?" the brunette asked, slightly confused.

"I asked a simple question, but you made it into this long speech about love. And yet, that's exactly what I needed to hear. I didn't realize it at first, but that's the answer I wanted."

Snow grinned. "Well, it comes with the job of being your mother. I know you better than anyone." She paused for a moment and bit her lip. "Why are you asking about love?"

The blonde sighed. "I guess I just wanted to know. That's all."

"Is there someone specific that you think you love, Emma?"

"Nope. It was just an honest question that was on my mind." Snow could tell that her daughter was lying, but she decided not to comment on that fact. Emma would just deny it anyway. But the brunette could see the love in her daughter's eyes, and she knew that there was someone out there that the blonde was developing feelings for. She didn't know who, but she was definitely going to find out.

* * *

It didn't take long for Henry to convince James to take him outside to play in the mountains of snow. The boy had been itching to go out all day, and none of the adults wanted to deny him the pleasure of making a snowman. The boys decided to head out right after lunch, and after a long process of bundling them up, the apartment was filled with a newfound silence.

Emma curled up on the couch and grabbed the remote. She began to flip through channels until she landed on "A Christmas Story". She pulled a blanket up over her and was sucked into the movie within moments.

Snow took a seat next to her daughter and attempted to watch the movie. She couldn't focus, mainly because Emma was quoting the entire thing. Not that she minded. She loved the sound of her daughter's voice, especially her laugh.

"This is just a guess, but I think that you like this movie, Emma," Snow told her daughter, a wide grin on her face.

"This is one of my favorites," the blonde said as she returned the gesture.

"And why is that?"

"Growing up, Christmas was never a big deal in any of the homes I was in. The parents don't care to make it a special day, and the social workers are too busy spending time with their own families. Us foster kids were always stuck in the middle. So Christmas day was usually spent in front of the television, mainly because there wasn't anything better to do. This movie just always stuck out to me, and I watch it every year."

Snow nodded. "Emma," she said, her tone much more serious than before. The blonde turned towards her mother, fully prepared to listen. "Has this been a good Christmas for you?"

Emma's face broke into a smile. "You're joking, right? This has been the best Christmas of my entire life. No one has ever made this day special for me before."

"I'm happy to be the first."

The blonde grinned and turned back to the movie. Snow could tell that her daughter was actively thinking, and the brunette could only wonder what was racing through her head. She was taken by surprise when Emma flipped the television off and stood. The blonde held her hand out to her mother. "Come on."

Snow accepted her daughter's hand and stood. Emma pulled her towards the stairs, and soon they were in her bedroom. "What are you doing?"

The blonde grabbed a box from her closet and dusted it off. "Well, I have been thinking about this for a while now. I'm done keeping secrets. I want you to know about my childhood." She set the box on the bed in front of her mother. "Open it."

Snow slowly pulled the flaps open. She wasn't sure what was going on, as Emma really wasn't open about her childhood. She noticed various objects piled inside of the box, and her eyes automatically scanned them. She looked up at Emma for confirmation, and when the blonde nodded, she pulled a file out from the box.

Upon opening it, Snow discovered that it was Emma's records while in the foster system. There were yearly reports, each paired with a simple photograph. The pictures documented Emma's childhood development, while notes from many different social workers depicted her behaviors. There were a few newspaper articles from when Emma was first found, plus some extra photographs that had been collected throughout the years. Snow noticed that there were also some school records, and she discovered that her daughter was exceptionally bright. The grades were outstanding, but they were partnered with comments from teachers stating that the blonde was either very quiet or a bother in class. Many teachers remarked on Emma's snide comments, much to Snow's amusement. The brunette poured over the records, wanting to absorb every bit of information that she could. She loved looking at each picture, and she felt tears form in her eyes as she lovingly gazed at her young daughter. As soon as she had put Emma in the wardrobe, she had given up all hope of seeing her daughter as a child. But now she was getting that chance, and she loved every second of it.

She came across a photograph of a baby Emma. The blonde was probably about six or seven months old in the picture. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue, an exact replica of her father's. She only had a few wisps of hair on her head, but the ones she did have were so blonde they were almost white. She was wearing a simple overall dress with a white shirt under it, and her tiny feet were bare. She was sitting in the grass in front of some sort of flower garden, and her face was morphed into the widest smile Snow had ever seen. The brunette lost track of time as she gazed at the adorable baby in the photograph. She could have stared at the picture for hours. Her child was so perfect and beautiful that it made her want to cry. And she did. She wiped her tears away but didn't look away from the picture.

Emma had noticed her mother's fascination with her old pictures, and the blonde wasn't surprised at all. She could understand how special this moment was for the brunette, and she didn't want to interrupt it. She wanted her mother to take her time to properly digest this swarm of knowledge about Emma's childhood.

"You're so beautiful."

The blonde smiled at her mother. She laid her head on the brunette's shoulder and felt an arm encircle her. Within seconds Snow had pulled her into a tight embrace, which she gladly returned.

"I used to dream about moments like this," Emma whispered. "Whenever I would get pushed around or yelled at by a foster parent, I would go up into my room and lay on my bed. I would curl up into a ball with my blanket and call out for my mother. I imagined that somewhere in the world my mom could hear me, and that somehow she would rescue me from my living nightmares. She would be there to wrap her arms around me and tell me that everything was going to be okay. And even though I lost all hope of it years ago, now I feel like I'm that little girl again. Except for this time I do have a mother who comes when I call for her and is always there for me when I need her."

Snow held her daughter's face in her hands. "You're my baby, Emma. And I am always going to be here. And you know, I used to always feel like something was missing. I felt like I was searching for a large part of me, and that no matter how hard I tried, it was nowhere to be found. And I used to get these overwhelming feelings that told me that I was needed. You needed me then and I wasn't there, and I can barely live with myself knowing that."

"You're here now and that is what counts. I don't have to worry anymore because I know that I have you to turn to. And for once in my life, I trust you completely, which is why I gave you this box. I want you to know the true me, because I am no longer afraid of being rejected. I know that you will love me and care for me no matter what I tell you or show you. That alone has completely changed my perspective on my life, and I want to thank you for that. I'm glad you broke down my walls."

"I'm glad I did too."

* * *

The sun had long since set, and snow continued to fall outside. The Charmings sat on the couches in the living room, attempting to watch a movie. Henry was curled into Emma's side, while the blonde had given in to her exhaustion. Her snores filled the room, much to the amusement of her parents.

"We should probably wake them up," Snow said as she leaned her head against James's arm.

"I would attempt to carry them upstairs individually, but I'm not sure that I can make it."

The brunette laughed as she stood up. She gently shook her daughter awake. The blonde was disoriented for a moment before she yawned and stretched. She woke Henry up and guided her son towards their room.

Emma turned back towards her parents right before she headed up the stairs. "Thanks for a great Christmas."

"Sleep well. We love you," Snow told her.

"I love you guys too," she whispered before she went up to sleep.

James and Snow returned to their positions on the couch. James wrapped his arm around her and intertwined the fingers as she rested her head under his chin.

"Merry Christmas, James."

"Merry Christmas, Snow."

"Today was a good day."

"Yeah. It was," he said.

"I didn't think about it once today. It was as if it hadn't happened. We were just a normal family, and we were happy. That's all I've ever wanted."

"It's been good seeing your smile again. It's hard enough for me as it is, and it's even worse knowing how unhappy you have been."

"I'm tired of being upset about it."

James sighed. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

She was silent for a moment. "You know what, I do want to talk about it. Everyone is afraid to bring it up, so I've just been keeping all of these feelings to myself, and I don't want to do that. We've been avoiding this conversation James. We act as if she didn't exist, and I think it would be best if we just talked about her for a while."

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"What would we have named her?"

"Eva, after your mother."

"I would have liked that."

He ran his fingers down her arm. "What would she have looked like?"

Snow smiled. "She would have been cursed with my unmanageably curly hair. She would have had dark hair like mine, but beautiful blue eyes like her father's."

"She would have scrunched her nose up when she smiled like you do. And she would have chewed on her lip like you do when she was thinking really hard."

"She would have been stubborn."

"We are all stubborn," James stated with a small laugh.

Snow paused. "I wish that we could know for sure. I wish that we had gotten the chance to meet her and find out what she looked like and who she acted like. I wish that we knew something, because I hate the uncertainty. I'm her mother and I don't know anything about her."

"I just wish that I could have held her. Even if it was just once."

"I think that's why losing her has been so hard. We just want the chance to be parents, and yet that opportunity has been ripped from us. I have never had the chance to rock my baby to sleep or sing it a lullaby. I've never taught my child to walk or talk. There's so much that I've always wanted to do." She fell silent as she quickly wiped at her eyes. "There have been four children, James. And yet I raised none of them. And what's worse is the fact that I only met one of them. I don't know why our lives have to be so hard. We aren't asking for the world. I just want to be a mother and you just want to be a father."

James was quiet for a long time before he spoke again. "We can still have that chance, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"We can still try. You're meant to be a mother, Snow. I see you with Emma, and I know that any child would be lucky to have you as their mother. If you want to be a mother again, we can try some more. I know it's too soon and that it's a lot to think about, but we could still have that opportunity to raise a child."

Snow shook her head. "I can't go through this agony again. If I lost another one, it would destroy me."

"I know it's risky, but there are certain...precautions...that we can take. There are things that we can do to make sure that our child doesn't leave us."

She twirled her ring. "I'm not ready now. But I will think about it. I do want the chance to be a parent. I want that more than anything."

He kissed her forehead. "So do I, darling. So do I."

She looked up at him and offered him a small smile, which he returned. She leaned forward and gently brushed her lips against his. "I love you so much."

He gave her another quick kiss. "I love you too."

She kissed him again, this time more passionate. She felt his fingers run through her hair as he deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him. They stayed that way for minutes, never leaving their embrace, and never parting their lips. It was as if they had found themselves once more. This was the first time in weeks that they had shown true intimacy.

After a few minutes in heaven, she broke away and grasped her husband's hand. She stood and pulled him on the direction of their room.

"Come on, Charming."

"Are you sure? It's only been a few weeks. I want to make sure that you are ready and prepared for this."

"James, being here with you has made me happy. And that's what I've been missing lately. Pure joy that comes from being with the one person who you love with all your heart. Being with you is what I want and what I need."

He grinned. "Okay," he said as he took both of her hands in his. "It is my job to provide for you," he told her.

With that, he kissed her more intensely and passionately than he had ever done before.

**Who doesn't love a happy Christmas chapter? **

**I put a lot of myself into this chapter. The way that they open presents, as described by Emma, is one of my family traditions. My family also watches "A Christmas Story" together every Christmas, and it is by far my favorite Christmas movie. **

**So I asked you guys to let me know what you want to see come up...and there has been a very popular scenario...all I can say is that flu season is coming up ;)**

**Thanks to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers! You guys are seriously awesome! **

**I already have half of the next chapter written, and I am going to try really hard to update this week...fingers crossed...**

**Anyway, thanks again, and always feel free to message me! PS...I will give out sneak peeks to anyone who asks for one.**

**Hope you enjoyed, and please review! **


	30. Chapter 30

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed for the last chapter! I'm glad you guys liked it!**

**So I felt like I had to write this chapter because of how many requests I got to do it...hope you guys enjoy!**

**Thanks to ladywolf101 for being such a great beta!**

August had a smile on his face as he walked into the police station. It had been over a month since he had started dating Emma, and he couldn't have been happier. She filled a hole in his life that had existed ever since he had lost his daughter. Being with Emma gave him a new purpose in his life. He loved taking care of her, and more importantly, he loved loving her.

The first thing he noticed when he entered the station was his girlfriend taking a nap on her desk. He chuckled as he walked into her office and gently shook her awake. She groaned as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"You tired?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"I'm just catching up on some sleep," she told him. She sounded absolutely exhausted, and for the first time, he took in her full appearance.

Her face was flushed and her nose was running. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and she looked like she was seriously sleep-deprived. He noticed that she kept rubbing her head as if it hurt, and that she kept shivering.

"Okay, I'm taking you home," he said as he grabbed her coat.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. She didn't fight him as he helped her slip her coat on. To be honest, going home actually sounded pretty good to her.

"No you're not. You're sick, and you're going to go home and get some rest. I don't know how you made it out of your house this morning."

"I left before my mother woke up."

He chuckled. "Of course you did." He leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. He sighed as he noticed that she definitely had a fever. He slipped his hand into hers as he led her out of the station. "You need to learn when to take a break, Emma. You aren't going to get any better if you exert yourself when you have the flu."

"I don't have the flu. It is just a small cold."

He laughed as he opened the car door for her. "Your mother would agree with me."

She shook her head as he started the car. Throughout the drive home, he noticed how tired she really was, and even though she wouldn't admit it, he could tell that she was a lot sicker than she was letting on.

He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek after he parked in front of her apartment building.

"You're going to get yourself sick," she whispered, her voice laced with exhaustion.

"So you're admitting that you're sick," he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes as he helped her out of the car and led her up the stairs. He noticed that she was breathing heavily and looked like she was about to collapse. He looped his arm around her and practically dragged her up the stairs.

"I don't want you to worry about me," she muttered as she leaned against him.

He knocked on the door. "Too late, sweetheart. Now, I just need you to focus on getting better, okay?" She nodded as the door swung open.

"August?" Snow asked as she stood in the doorway. She took in the sight of her daughter and immediately became concerned. "Emma?"

"She snuck out this morning and tried to work, despite the fact that she has the flu," he told her.

Snow sighed. "Emma..."

"Don't worry about me. I'm fin-" she started to say. She was cut off as she doubled over and vomited all over the floor.

Her mother immediately went into protective mode. "Oh Emma...let's get you in bed okay?"

"I've got her," August said as he picked the blonde up. "I'll take her upstairs and then let you take over from there."

"Thank you," she said as he walked into the apartment. She noticed that he cradled her daughter close to him, and she raised her eyebrow. She didn't have time to think about it, however, as she had a mess to clean up.

He laid her on her bed and brushed her hair out of her face. "Get better. I'll come and check up on you tomorrow." He leaned close to her ear. "I love you."

"Love you too," she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep. He smiled as he placed a kiss on her forehead. He turned to leave, but froze when he saw Snow standing in the doorway. He hadn't even noticed her come up.

She stared at him for a few moments, unable to figure out what to say. A million thoughts ran through her head. She had always thought that Emma and August had a very interesting relationship with one another, but she had never known how serious it was. Emma was very cautious about loving people, and she wouldn't say that to just anyone. Snow remembered the conversation she had had with her daughter on Christmas. Now everything made sense to the brunette. She sighed as she looked at August, whose eyes were wide with shock. It was obvious that he had never intended to get caught.

"Snow...I can explain-" he stared after a while, but she just held her hand up.

"Let me take care of my daughter, and then we can talk."

He nodded and headed downstairs. She noticed him sneak a quick glance at Emma before he left.

Snow pushed thoughts of this newfound information out of her head as she woke her daughter up. The blonde managed to get changed without a problem, and Snow tucked her in once she was all settled.

"I want my blanket..." Emma whispered, her voice barely audible.

The brunette found her daughter's prized possession and brought it to the blonde. Emma immediately pulled it to her and held it against her chest.

Snow brushed some hair off of her daughter's face and placed a small kiss on her forehead. She was burning up. She sighed as she stood up. "I'm going to go get you some medicine and take your temperature Emma. Do you want anything to eat?"

The blonde shook her head. Snow exited the room and headed to the kitchen to get her supplies. When she came to the bottom of the stairs, she noticed August kneeling on the ground beside the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she discovered that he was viciously scrubbing Emma's mess off of the floor. If that wasn't commitment, then Snow didn't know what was.

He looked up and made eye contact with Snow. He could tell that she was shocked at what he was doing, but he just shrugged. There wasn't much else to say. The woman gave him a small smile before heading to the kitchen to get some medicine for Emma.

It was obvious that Emma had given in to her illness, because it took a lot of effort on Snow's part to wake up her daughter again. After discovering that her temperature was about 101, Snow managed to get the blonde to take some medicine. She watched her daughter for a moment as the blonde fought off her exhaustion. The brunette vowed to keep a more watchful eye on Emma, because she was never letting her go to work sick again. She knew that she shouldn't be so protective about this kind of thing, since her daughter was a grown woman who could take care of herself. It was hard not to take care of the blonde. It was a natural instinct, and honestly, Snow wanted to make up for every time her daughter was sick and she wasn't there. She suspected that once Emma recovered that the blonde would not be happy with being smothered, but Snow didn't care. She was just being a mother to her daughter.

Once Emma's snores filled the room, Snow stood up to leave. She gave her daughter another quick kiss on the forehead and gently ran her fingers through the golden curls. "Get better, my sweet girl. I love you," she whispered before she left the bedroom.

Once she got downstairs she realized how exhausted she was already, even though it was just the middle of the day. And yet she still had to have a talk with August, and she did not have the energy for that. But it didn't take long for her to go into full-on protective mother mode, and she found herself wanting to talk with the man. She knew she would be completely drained after this, but she didn't care.

He was seated at the kitchen table, busy twirling his thumbs. He looked up when she sat down across from him. She could see the concern in his eyes, and that made her like him just a little bit more. "Is she okay?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Snow stated as she folded her arms across her chest. "Now. I want you to explain to me what is going on between you and my daughter."

He smiled. "I'm in love with her."

She didn't know what she expected to hear, but it certainly wasn't that. She knew that he must care for Emma, but now that she looked at him, she could see the love that had completely taken over him. It was in his eyes, his smile, his actions, and his words. Snow knew what love was, and she didn't doubt him when he confessed his feelings to her.

She nodded. "I believe you. But that doesn't change the fact that I was caught completely off guard in there. Why is this the first I'm hearing about this?"

"Emma...she didn't want to jump into a relationship. She said she wasn't sure if she could make this work, and she wanted to take it slowly." August didn't know why he was being so open about their relationship, but he figured that it was because he was trying to earn the trust of his girlfriend's mother.

"And you agreed to that?"

"I want to make her happy. And if that is what she wants, then I'm not going to fight her on it."

Snow sighed. "How long has this been going on?"

"How long have we been together, or how long have I loved her?"

The brunette thought about it for a moment. "Both."

"We've been together since Christmas Eve and I've loved her since the first time I saw her the day I came to Storybrooke."

She gave him a small smile. "You have to understand something, August. That is my little girl up there. I don't care that she is a grown woman. Every time I look at her I see my darling baby. She is my entire world, and all I think about is making sure that she is okay. So it's difficult for me to sit here and listen to you talk about loving her. I just want to make sure that she can't be hurt anymore, and honestly, I can't know for sure that it won't happen. I believe that you love her, and that does make me happy, because she deserves that. But I don't know if I trust you yet. She means so much to me, and I would not be able to bear it if you broke her heart. So I want you to know this: I'm giving you my full support in dating my daughter, because I can see how much you care about her. But with my blessing comes a warning: if you EVER hurt her, you will have me to answer to. And believe me when I say that that is not a good thing."

He was silent for a moment before he cleared his throat. "I promise that I will never hurt her. Because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. I just want to spend the rest of my life showing her that she is a wonderful and beautiful woman that deserves the best. I want the chance to love her every day and make her happy."

Snow nodded. "Okay then. I will hold you to that promise."

"I want you to."

"So for Emma's sake, we are going to keep this conversation between the two of us. I want her to tell me when she is ready. But don't think that means that I'm ignoring you. I'm still going to look out for my daughter and make sure that nothing happens to her."

"Agreed." August stood up and offered her a smile. "I'm going to go tell her goodbye, if that's alright. And Snow, thank you."

She returned his gesture. "Thank you, August." She looked up towards Emma's room. "Make it quick. She still needs her rest."

* * *

Emma groaned as she opened her eyes. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but it was nowhere near enough. She had completely stopped fighting against the flu, and now she could feel it completely taking over her. She hated every feeling that came with being sick, and she wanted to get better as soon as possible.

She felt her blanket between her fingers, and she wondered if she had asked for it while she was asleep. She wouldn't have been surprised, as that was her most valuable possession, and she liked having it whenever she didn't feel her best. She pulled the soft, warm material closer to her and sighed. She wanted to burrow under the covers and sleep until the flu was completely gone, but she knew that would never happen. She had someone to take care of her, and while her mother was definitely smothering her, she didn't care. In fact, she liked having someone to watch over her.

Just as she was about to regain sleep, her stomach rumbled. She remembered that she hadn't eaten much for breakfast, and besides, that had been emptied onto the floor. She would kill for a bowl of soup right now, and she hoped that she could keep it down.

The blonde attempted to sit up when she noticed her mother. Snow was seated in a chair right next to the bed, and she was busy reading a book. But the brunette had always had a sixth sense when it came to her daughter, and she immediately knew that the blonde needed something. Emma groaned when her mother stood and came right to her.

Snow held her hand against her daughter's forehead. "You're still burning up." She brushed some hair out of the blonde's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Emma attempted to shrug. "I'm just hungry."

"Don't even think about getting up. I'll go get you some soup," Snow said, practically reading Emma's mind.

"Where's Henry?"

"He's downstairs with James."

The blonde nodded. "Don't let him near me. I don't want him getting sick as well."

"Too late. He's under strict orders to stay downstairs until you're a little better." Emma smiled, causing Snow to do the same. "Let me go get your food. I'll be right back, okay?"

Emma smiled and nodded as she laid back down and pulled the covers up around her.

Snow knew that her daughter would probably fall back asleep by the time she returned with the food. She hated seeing Emma so sick, and even though it was just the flu, it took a lot to slow the blonde down. She did not like taking a break, so it definitely surprised Snow when her daughter didn't fight her smothering instincts.

She was busy heating up some chicken noodle soup when she heard James come up beside her. She smile and gave him a quick kiss as she continued making Emma's lunch.

"How is she?"

"Hungry. I hope she can keep this down."

"And her temperature?" he asked as he got a bowl for Snow.

She began to dish up the soup. "Still burning up. I really should take her temperature again, but I don't want to smother her even more."

He laughed. "I don't think it could get any worse."

She whacked him with the dish rag, earning a teasing grin from him. "You, behave."

When she finally made her way back into her daughter's room, Snow was surprised to see Emma sitting up in bed. The blonde was pale with flushed cheeks, and her eyes looked so tired. It was obvious that she was sick, and Snow didn't like to see her in that state. She had to mentally kick herself every few seconds because her maternal instincts had gone into overdrive. She hated knowing that her daughter was sick, and she desperately wanted to take care of her. Snow knew that she needed to tone down her motherly actions, or Emma would feel smothered. Although, it wasn't her fault that not only was she making up for lost time, and she just couldn't help it.

"That looks really good," Emma stated, her voice faint.

Snow handed her the bowl and spoon. The blonde immediately began sipping on the broth. "I hope you can keep that down. Just give me a heads up next time before you puke all over my floor."

Emma chuckled. "Sorry about that." She finished her lunch in silence, as she was focusing on getting some food into her stomach. She set the bowl on the nightstand as she finished and collapsed back down on her pillow. "I could sleep all day."

Snow stood and pulled up her daughter's sheets. She knew that she probably shouldn't be tucking her adult daughter into bed, but she really didn't care. And besides, Emma wasn't protesting. She held her hand against her daughter's forehead, noticing that the fever still existed. She decided to let Emma try and sleep it off before she took her temperature again. Hopefully the blonde would get better without a problem.

The door to Emma's room cracked open and Henry tiptoed inside. He smiled at Snow as he crept over to his mother's bed. "Mom?"

Emma rolled on her side to face him. "Hey kid. Don't get too close, okay? I don't want to get you sick."

"I won't. I made this for you," he said as he held a card out to her.

She took it with a smile on her face and opened it up. "'Get Well Soon, Mom'. Why thank you Henry. I love it."

He smiled. "I would give you a hug, but Grandma doesn't like it when I disobey her orders."

Emma snorted, causing Snow to narrow her eyes. "I'm just trying to be responsible here!" she stated in an attempt to defend herself.

"Sorry Grandma," he told her with a grin.

She couldn't help but laugh as he exited the room with a skip in his step. She noticed that Emma was smiling as she watched him leave, and she could see the love and adoration in her daughter's eyes.

Snow took her seat next to Emma's bed as the blonde got settled under the covers. Her breathing started to slow, and the brunette could see her starting to relax. Snow picked up her book and began to flip through the pages when she heard her daughter's voice.

"You're going to get yourself sick if you keep spending all your time with me."

Snow smiled. "Since when have I cared about things like that? Besides, it's my job to take care of you." She reached over and brushed some hair out of Emma's face, slowly running her fingers through the golden curls.

"That feels good," Emma mumbled as she scooted closer to the edge of the bed.

The brunette smile as her fingers continued to follow their path through Emma's hair. Something about this moment seemed so right to her. She had always dreamed of caring for her child, and now she was finally having that chance, and it was perfect. She didn't know what possessed her to do so, but next thing she knew, she opened her lips and began to sing a quiet lullaby.

"How was I supposed to know  
Just how perfect you would be  
My love grew with your little heart  
A miracle it seems to me

All the riches in the world  
May not fall into your hands  
Life won't always treat you fair  
But stand you will to its demands  
I can't promise you a diamond ring  
Or a castle in the sky  
But I will give you all my love  
And a perfect lullaby

Keep on beating little heart  
Sleeping safely in my arms  
Rest your eyes my precious one  
You are safe from all harm."

Silence filled the room after she sung the final words. She continued to run her fingers through her daughter's hair, not even thinking about it. Something was just so natural about this entire moment.

"No one has ever sung me a lullaby before," Emma whispered a while after the song had ended. Snow noticed that Emma had tears in her eyes. A few trickled down the blonde's cheeks, and the brunette quickly wiped them away.

"My mother used to sing that to me when I was a little girl. I've wanted to sing it to you since the moment I found out I was pregnant with you."

"I like your voice. Can you sing it again?"

Snow nodded and sung the song through once more. As she sang the final words, she noticed that Emma had drifted off to sleep, a small smile on her face.

She ran her thumb down her daughter's cheek. Every time she looked at the blonde she marveled at how beautiful she was. It was truly amazing how much love for her daughter she had. She had never realized how much one person could change her life. Emma was so much more than her daughter, she was her entire world.

Snow planted kiss on Emma's forehead. "I love you so much, my wonderful, beautiful girl."

She stood and grabbed the dirty bowl, then quietly left the room. She was careful to tiptoe down the stairs so that she hardly made a sound. Henry was curled up on the couch watching a movie, his eyes barely open as he fought exhaustion. She smiled at her grandson before quickly washing the bowl. Once she was finished, she headed into her bedroom to look for James.

He looked up from his book when he heard the door shut behind his wife. He smiled as she climbed on the bed and sat across from him. He noticed that her grin took up her entire face, and he wondered what had made his wife so happy.

"What's new with you?" he teased as he sat up. He grasped her fingers and began to play with her wedding ring.

"I just sang my daughter a lullaby."

He froze and looked up at her. Her eyes were watery and full of pure joy and love. "You sang to her?"

Snow nodded. "I've always wanted to sing her my mother's lullaby. And now I have. And it was as I've always dreamed it would be."

He smiled as he reached forward and cupped her cheeks. "I'm so happy for you," he said, leaning forward and softly kissing her.

She pulled away after a moment and looked into his eyes. "I've realized something, James."

"What?"

"Taking care of my child and singing my baby to sleep, it all feels so right. It feels like I was meant to be a mother. This family is my happy ending. And, I don't want this to be it for us. I want to have another child, James. I want to bring a baby into this world, and I want to have the chance to be its mother and I want you to be able to be its father."

He grinned. "So, are you saying that you're ready to try again?"

"I'm saying that I want to start having serious conversations about having another child. I want to make sure we are completely ready for the next one, and I'm not sure when that will be. I'm still just getting used to our family the way it is, and I don't think it would be smart to have a child right now. And besides, I'm still trying to become myself again after what happened. I don't want to live my life full of grief, but I'm not ready to let go of her just yet. I think that because of all of this, we need to wait before we try again. But I do know that someday I want to have another child, and when that day comes, we will all be completely ready for the new addition."

"I completely agree."

* * *

Emma wrapped herself in a blanket as she descended down the stairs. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, but she had noticed that her mother had been missing from her usually seat. The blonde figured that Snow was exhausted, as the past few days had been miserable for each of them. No matter how much Emma protested, the brunette insisted on taking care of her. The blonde didn't mind, as she was too busy fighting fevers, headaches, and nausea, and it was nice to have someone nursing her back to health. She usually hated being smothered, but she knew that it made her mother happy, and that was enough for her.

She grabbed the bottle of pills her mother had set out and poured two into her palm. As she quickly swallowed them, she heard movement coming from the living room. She shuffled over there, and was slightly surprised to find her mother passed out on the couch.

It looked as if Snow had sat down for just a moment, but accidentally fallen asleep. The brunette was clutching a wad of tissues, and she was sniffling in her sleep. Her skin was a lot paler than usual, and her cheeks had a bright red tint to them. There were bags under her eyes and her head was collapsed against the back of the couch. Emma knew that the woman was working herself way too hard, and now it was definitely obvious. But as the blonde got a better look at her mother, she inwardly groaned. She was completely positive that Snow had, in fact, gotten the flu from her.

She leaned forward and shook her mother. "Snow, wake up." She figured that the brunette would regret falling asleep on the couch and would probably want to move to a bed.

It took the woman a moment to come out of her slumber, but eventually Snow sat up and rubbed her eyes. When she realized that her daughter had woken her up, her maternal instincts took over. "Emma? Do you need anything?" she asked as she stood up.

"All I need is for you to come upstairs and get a decent night's sleep," the blonde said with a smile. "It seems as if you're trying to work yourself to death."

"I'm alright, really," she stated as she blew her nose.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Well, despite your insistence that you weren't going to catch it, I can't tell that you're getting the flu. And when I tried to convince myself that I was fine, I went to work and ended up having to be carried home only to vomit all across the floor. So please just go get some rest."

"You're still sick. I need to take care of you," Snow mumbled.

"Fine. I need you to come up and tell me a story or sing me to sleep. You get to choose."

"If you insist," the brunette said, but Emma could see the gratitude in her mother's eyes. She knew that Snow would never admit to being sick, and so she was just going to have to manipulate her mother into resting.

Once upstairs, Snow insisted on tucking her daughter in. She laid down next to her, and almost immediately felt her eyelids droop. She wanted to fight her exhaustion, as she was determined not to get sick, but she knew that there wasn't much else to do. She started to sing the first line of a lullaby, but fell asleep after the first few words.

Emma could hear her mother's deep breathing only moments after the brunette had laid down. She turned on her side and shifted closer to her until she was resting her head on her mother's shoulder. Snow smiled subconsciously, which made Emma grin.

"Good night Mom," she whispered as she let herself drift to sleep.

James was surprised when he didn't hear Snow moving around in the kitchen first thing in the morning. She usually was busy get Emma medicine or making breakfast, and he wondered if he had slept through it. He sat up in bed and rubbed his face. He smiled when he noticed Henry spread out across more than half of the bed. It was no wonder why Emma always complained about sharing a bed with the kid. Even after just two nights, James was tired of sleeping on the edge, yet he didn't really mind. He knew it was best, as they didn't want to risk Henry getting the flu.

Moment later James found himself in the kitchen, getting coffee. As he was placing the pot back, he heard movement on the stairs, causing him to smile. He turned around and expected to find his wife, but he was taken by surprise when he locked eyes with Emma. She definitely looked a lot better than she had a few days ago, but it was obvious that she was still sick.

He raised an eyebrow. "How in the world did she let you come down and get something for yourself?"

She gave him a faint smile. "Any other time it would be impossible. But she has officially gotten the flu from me, and she is upstairs asleep."

James frowned. He hated it when his wife was sick. "I'm going to go check on her. Do you need anything?"

"I'm alright, but thanks," she told him as she pulled a can of soup out of the cupboard. "Besides, I can get myself something to eat, despite what you two think."

He laughed as he walked over to her. He quickly held his hand on her forehead, searching for a temperature. She was still a little warm, but her head was significantly cooler than usual. He smiled as she rolled her eyes. "What? You know that your mother would kill me if I didn't check for a temperature."

"She's sick, so you have nothing to worry about."

James chuckled as he climbed the stairs. He found his wife fast asleep in Emma's bed, burrowed under the covers. He sighed as he felt her forehead, discovering that it was significantly warmer than Emma's. His lips fell into a frown as he brushed some hair out of her eyes. He hated it when she was sick.

He returned downstairs to get some necessities. Emma was busy heating up some soup, and she raised her eyebrow as he walked by. "She has the flu alright," he said, causing her to nod. She helped him locate some medicine and the thermometer, then he retreated into his bedroom to grab his wife a few things. Once he returned upstairs, he proceeded to attempt to wake Snow up, an action better said than done.

After a few minutes of gently shaking her, James smiled when his wife opened her eyes. She groaned as she stretched, followed by a long yawn and a few sniffles. "Hey," she said as soon as she noticed him standing next to the bed. "I was just about to get up."

He shook his head. "You're a dreadful liar. You're sick, Snow, and it would be a lot easier if you would just admit it."

"I'm not sick, I'm just tired."

"Fine, prove it. Let me take your temperature and we can see if you're really sick or not."

"James, I don't need my temperature taken. I'm fine, really."

He rolled his eyes. "You are the most stubborn person I know." He held out the thermometer. "Don't even think about fighting me on this one."

She sighed as she let him take her temperature. Despite the fact that she felt awful, she didn't want to admit it. When he pulled away the device to check the results, she gave him a small smile. "I bet you anything that it's just fine."

"Well my love, you can't always be right about everything. 100.8 degrees. You're sick, and you're staying in bed." She groaned, causing him to laugh. "You've been so busy taking care of everyone else that you haven't spent any time worrying about yourself. Well, now you are going to focus on getting better and nothing else." He held out her pajamas and she took them after a moment.

"I am just fine," she mumbled as she got out of bed to get changed.

James rolled his eyes. He was just about to make a witty remark when his phone started to vibrate. He gave his wife one more smile before he held his phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Prince James, it's August."

"What's up? Is everything alright down at the station?"

"That's the thing, you're going to have to come in. Emma gave me the flu, and I've got to get home before I collapse."

James sighed. "Alright. I'll be there soon." He disconnected the call and walked over to his wife. "I have to go cover the station because August has the flu." He noticed something flash in her eyes, but he chose not to comment on it. "Anyway, I expect you to get some rest while I'm gone. And just to make sure that you do, I'm putting Emma in charge."

"I'm her mother. I don't need her to babysit me."

He reached forward and cupped her cheeks. "Since I'm not going to be here, you need someone to make sure that you're resting. Call it babysitting if you want, but at the end of the day, I just need to make sure you're okay."

"I've been sick before James. I'll be fine."

"So you're admitting that you're sick?" he asked with a smirk, causing her to glare at him. He kissed her forehead and pulled her back to the bed. "You might as well stay up here since it's already a toxic zone." She rolled her eyes but didn't fight him as he tucked her back in. "I'll call to check up on you every couple of hours, okay?" He gave her another kiss on her forehead as she nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said as she burrowed back under the covers. Despite the fact that she was denying it, she was actually pretty tired, and she did not feel good. She was actually looking forward to getting some rest today.

James exited the bedroom and headed downstairs. Henry was busy devouring a bowl of cereal, while Emma was sipping some soup. He smiled at his family as he joined them in the kitchen. "Henry, you better hurry up so that I can get you to school on time." The boy nodded as he finished his breakfast and headed to the bathroom to get ready. James turned to his daughter. "I have to go cover the station because August got the flu." He noticed something flash in Emma's eyes, causing him to raise his eyebrow slightly. He wondered what his wife and daughter knew about August that would cause the, to act this way upon knowing that he was sick. He shook his head and continued. "Snow needs her rest, and I need to make sure that she stays in bed. I'm putting you in charge for the day. She isn't too happy about that, but I don't care. I need you to make sure that she focuses on getting better."

"I can do that," Emma stated with a smile.

"Thank you. How are you feeling today?"

"A lot better. I think it's almost out of my system."

"Good," he said. Henry came out of the bathroom, almost completely ready to go. James took that as his signal to grab his coat, and he did just that. "I'll call and check up on you two every once in a while."

Emma nodded as she cleaned up her meal. Henry bounded over to her after a moment and gave her a quick hug before he shrugged his coat on. "Have a good day at school, kid," she told him as he slung his backpack on. He smiled and waved as he headed out the door. James followed him after he said a quick farewell to his daughter.

Within moments, the apartment was completely silent. Emma decided to watch a movie, as she didn't feel like sleeping, but she was still pretty tired. She flipped through their small DVD collection before she decided to have a Disney marathon. Those had always been her favorite movies growing up, and besides, she thought that it would be fun to compare them to the real stories. She decided to start with "Pinocchio", for obvious reasons. She smiled as she got settled on the couch and pressed play.

* * *

Snow wasn't sure where she was when she woke up. She stretched and yawned as she rolled over, pulling the covers up around her. She would never admit that she desperately needed that nap. She sat up in bed, noticing for the first time that she was in Emma's room. It took a lot of effort, she hadn't realized how truly exhausted she was, but she managed to get out of bed. She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She slowly headed downstairs, looking forward to getting something to eat. Once in the kitchen, she shuffled over to the cupboards and pulled out a can of chicken noodle soup. As she poured it into a pot, she heard Emma come up behind her.

"You're supposed to be in bed."

"I'm hungry," Snow said with a small shrug.

Emma took the pot from her mother's hands. "Go get on the couch. I'll make the soup."

"I can get my own food."

"You took care of me while I was really sick, and now it's my turn to take care of you," the blonde told her as she put the pot on a burner.

Snow smiled as she sat on the couch, automatically curling up into a ball. It only took a few minutes for the soup to be finished, and before she knew it, her daughter was handing her a filled bowl.

"Thank you."

"No problem," Emma stated as she started sipping her own soup.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. You need to focus on getting better."

"I'm your mother. You can't expect me to just stop worrying about you."

Emma shrugged. "I'm your daughter and you can't expect me not to worry about you."

Snow smirked as she continued to eat. The soup tasted delicious and it completely hit the spot. Before too much longer, she finished it and set her bowl on the coffee table. Emma grabbed the two dishes, headed to the kitchen, and quickly cleaned them. She rejoined her mother on the couch, pulling a blanket over her feet. She picked up the remote and started her movie once more.

"What are we watching?"

"Cinderella."

The brunette laughed. "This should be fun."

Emma chuckled. "Ella and Thomas are so different from the people in this movie."

"If only you knew. You know there was no fairy godmother? It was actually Rumplestiltskin."

"Really?"

"Yes. I didn't find out until months later when they sought out our help. Turns out he wanted their firstborn, so they came to us looking for a way to stop him."

"That's why Mr. Gold wanted Ashley's baby. Their deal was still valid," Emma said.

Snow nodded. "We trapped him and froze his magic, but even that couldn't break one of his deals. Actually, James knows a lot more about that whole affair than I do. He insisted that I stay back at the castle out of harm's way."

The movie ended and Emma stood up to change it. "Everything is so much more complicated than in the movies. In these they make it seem like everyone can get their happy ending, and that their conflicts end as soon as they get married to their true love and ride off into the sunset."

"Well, I know from lots of personal experience that that is not the case. Your father and I never rode off into the sunset." Emma couldn't help but laugh. She put the next movie in and rejoined her mother on the couch. "What are we watching now?"

"You'll see," Emma told her with a grin.

Snow rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves?"

"How'd you know?"

"Because I know you, and you think it's funny."

"It is!"

The brunette shook her head as she pulled her blanket up around her. She tried to watch the movie, but found that she could barely keep her eyes open. She decided to give into the flu, and she quickly drifted off.

Emma noticed that her mother was fast asleep. She knew that she completely deserved it. The woman had been spending all her time caring for her daughter over the past few days, and the blonde was glad that her mother was finally getting some well-earned rest. She got comfortable and focused on her movie. It was nice to just sit here and rest with her mother. She had never had a sick day growing up, as foster parents didn't really care if she was sick or not, and she was glad that she could spend her first with Snow. She rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

"I love you, Mom," she whispered. She had no idea why she had said it.

Snow smiled in her sleep. Emma could tell that her mother had heard her, and that's exactly what she had wanted.

Maybe being sick wasn't so bad after all.

**I particularly love this chapter, and I hope that you guys do too. The lullaby that Snow sings to Emma is "A Perfect Lullaby" by Matt Logan and Elisabeth Tinnes. I absolutely love this lullaby and plan to sing it to my own children someday.**

**Thanks for reading, and please review! **


	31. Chapter 31

**Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! Seriously, you guys are awesome!**

**I'm glad you all liked the last chapter! I did too :)**

**So I just went back to school, and it's a little hectic, so updates might slow down a bit. But I am going to try to update as often as possible, so please don't give up on this story!**

**I'm not sure about how I feel about parts of this chapter. Some of it is a little filler, but please don't get bored! I put it in there for a reason, mainly because there are some major plot developments and drama as well...I did say there was a storm coming...**

**Hope you enjoy!**

John threw his suitcase into his trunk. He had decided to leave for Maine after a few weeks of thinking Brad's offer over. He could use a vacation, that much was true, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to go all the way across the country. And Maine was cold in February, while Vegas felt amazing. That almost convinced him to stay. But he figured that he didn't have much to lose anyway, so he chose to head out. He hoped that the drive wouldn't be too bad, and it might even be relaxing. He lit a cigarette and held it to his lips as he climbed into his car. He sat there for a moment before he set up his GPS. He hoped this thing would work, as he had been having issues with it for weeks now, and it would really suck if he got lost during this trip. He buckled up and took a long drag of his cigarette, then started his car. A smile morphed his lips as the engine roared to life. He had a good feeling about this trip. Despite any doubts that's he had had, he now was looking forward to going to Maine. He pulled out of his driveway and started down the road, wondering where this vacation was going to take him.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin was not happy. He had spent months trying to find his son with no success. He should have guessed that that girl was going to double cross him, but he had been so consumed with searching for Bae that he hadn't seen what scum she really was. The dark side of him was glad that he had ended her life, but the small sliver of good in him that existed for Belle and his son felt complete guilt. She may have stolen from him, but that didn't mean that she deserved to be shot. It was thoughts like these that tortured him. It was hard enough that he couldn't leave town and find his son, but he hadn't felt this feeling of regret in hundreds of years. He hated it. Belle could sense that he was experiencing an internal battle, but nothing she could say made him feel any better. He tried to focus on his son, but he had too many other concerns. His dark curse was missing. The secret to breaking the curse could be discovered any moment. All information that he had gathered to find his son turned out to be forged. He had nothing. He didn't know what he was going to do. He had never experienced such misery since he acquired the dark power. And for that reason, Rumplestiltskin was not happy.

He sat in his office staring at the hat that Jefferson had given him. He had promised to get it to work, but honestly, he could care less about the Hatter's problems. That man had gotten into trouble with Regina and the Charmings, and he could see why Jefferson was looking to escape. The Charmings were very protective of one another, and Regina had vengeance in her DNA. He was surprised that that man was still alive after all he done.

The curtain that hung over the doorway to his office swung to the side. He heard the clicking of heels and looked up as Regina waltzed into his office. He immediately stood, his mouth morphing into a snarl.

"Get out."

"Now, Rumple, can't we be civil with one another?"

"You kept Belle captive. No, we can't. Get out of my shop, dearie," he spat.

"I've heard that you're working on our dear Jefferson's hat. I'm willing to make a deal with you. Give it to me, and I can help you find your son."

It was times like these that Rumple wished that he still had his cane. He would have loved to hit that smirk of her face this very instant. "It's not nice to eavesdrop, dearie. I have no interest in doing business with you. So why don't you focus on your own son and get out of my shop."

She laughed. "We've been in this together from the start. You're a fool if you think that you can just ignore me." She walked over to the desk and placed her palms on the surface. She leaned her face forward so that there were only a few inches separating them. "I am focusing on my son. You should understand a parent's need to be with their child. I need that hat so that I can retrieve my mother's spell book from Wonderland. With it, I can do anything."

"Why do you make everything so complicated Regina? Just go kill Snow White so we can all be done with this. It's actually getting quite annoying."

She shook her head. "I don't want her to die, at least not yet. Currently she's suffering, and that is much more satisfying than quickly crushing her heart."

"She has her husband and daughter. Oh, and don't forget Henry. I don't think having the perfect family that she's always fought for would be classified as 'suffering'."

"She lost another child. And she will lose every single one in the future."

"I'm guessing that you have something to do with that."

Regina smiled. "She took away my chance of having a family the minute she spilled my secret. She should have expected me to take the heart of one of her servants and make them slip poison into one of her drinks. King George was pretty much worthless, but I have to say that that particular idea was one of his few moments of brilliance."

"So now you have your vengeance. Why are you still fighting this battle? If you haven't noticed, people have been living normal lives here in Storybrooke. They haven't been suffering like you've always wanted them too."

She stood up straight. "I've given up my concerns for their happy endings. I'm choosing to focus on my own. Henry is all that I need, and I'm going to get him back."

"Why don't you just cast a spell on him to make him love you?"

"I used magic on him once and it backfired. He just grew farther away from me. I have promised myself never to use magic against him again."

"Then why on earth do you need your mother's spell book?"

"I never said that I wouldn't use magic against Miss Swan and the two idiots."

Rumple sighed. "You're just going to make things worse for yourself, dearie. Not that I actually care."

"Magic is the only way for me to get what I want."

"For some reason I get the feeling that you don't actually know what you want. You claimed that you wanted to cast this curse, and yet you were unhappy with it a week in. You claimed that you wanted Snow White's heart yet you've never put a lot of effort into actually killing her. Maybe you should figure out what game you're trying to play before you come to me looking for help."

"Getting my son back is not a game to me," she hissed.

"If you really want him to be yours, magic isn't going to solve any of your problems. The only way to win his heart back is if you give up your pursuit of vengeance. Have you ever thought of trying to be a better person? If you earn the trust of Miss Swan, then she'll let you be involved in your son's life. Because let's be honest, you gave up the right of being his only mother the second that you poisoned him."

Her fingers curled into fists. "I know better than to listen to parenting advice coming from a man who abandoned his own son."

Rumple narrowed his eyes. "We're done here, Regina." He picked up Jefferson's hat and threw it at her. "Portal jumping is just out of my area of expertise, so I haven't been able to get it to work. Enjoy a broken hat. Oh, and never forget: all magic comes with a price."

* * *

Emma stared at her ceiling. She could hear Henry's light snores next to her, but other than that, the apartment was completely silent. She was pretty sure that her parents were asleep, but she decided to fake getting a midnight snack just to double check. She felt like a teenager again when she planned on sneaking out. No matter how many times she had done it in the past month, she still felt like she was destined to get caught.

Once positive that her parents were fast asleep, and after checking on Henry again, she slipped out of her bedroom window and onto the fire escape. She slowly and quietly climbed down it, finding that she had practically mastered maneuvering on it. Once safely on the ground, she quickened her pace and walked towards Granny's. She pulled her key out of her pocket and slid it into the side door, opening it. She was still amazed that she had avoided running into Red or Granny herself, but the blonde doubted that they had no idea what was going on. She took the stairs two at a time, and soon found herself at one of the rooms. Without a second thought, she opened the door and walked inside. She flung her jacket on the desk and collapsed on the bed.

She was lost in her own thoughts when she heard the lock click once more. She sat up just as August entered the room. She grinned as she locked eyes with him, and he returned the gesture. She noticed that he was holding his arms behind his back, and she raised her eyebrow. "What are you hiding back there?"

"Well, it's Valentine's Day, and you're my girlfriend."

"Okay, first, Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and second, you know how I feel about that holiday."

"Okay, first, it's twelve-fifteen, so it is, in fact, Valentine's Day. Second, I chose to tune you out when you said that you didn't like Valentine's Day," he said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you charming?" she stated, her voice thick with sarcasm.

He pulled out a small bouquet of flowers. It was pretty simple, as he didn't want to go overboard because he knew that Emma wasn't a fan of flowers. He just wasn't able to resist.

Despite her usual distaste of flowers, she actually loved the bouquet. But maybe that was because it was from August. Not that it mattered.

"I know that you aren't a fan of flowers, but-"

"I love them," she told him with a small smile. She leaned towards him and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you."

"I got you something else as well," he said as he sat next to her on the bed.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," he stated with a shrug as he pulled a small box out of his jacket. He held it out to her. "Open it."

She quickly shed the wrapping paper as she snuck glances at him. She had no idea what was going to be inside, and she was actually excited to find out. She opened the lid of the box to find a bracelet. It was a few strands of brown leather cord that had been braided together, yet there was an addition fastened to in. There was a small, intricately carved wooden star, and it had been painted blue. She looked up at him and grinned. "The blue star. I get it..."

"I wanted you to have something that reminded you of me every time you looked at it."

"Well, you will definitely be unforgettable now," she told him as she fastened the bracelet to her wrist. She reached up and placed her hands on his cheeks. She pulled his face towards her and gave him a long and deep kiss. She felt his arms encircle her and pull her close. They stayed locked in their passionate embrace for a few minutes, never parting their lips. Emma pulled back and rested her forehead against his so that she was looking into his eyes. "I have something for you too."

"I thought you didn't want to celebrate?"

"Well, I knew that you were going to, and I just couldn't resist." She broke away and retrieved an envelope from her jacket. She held it out to him, and he proceeded to take it from her and open it.

August raised his eyebrow after he had read the contents. "A dinner date at your place?"

"Well, it's a double date with my parents. I already told my mother that I wanted to have you over sometime, and I'm going to help her cook. But the catch is that they don't know that it's a double date. They think that I'm inviting you over just to be nice. But my gift isn't dinner. It's the fact that Saturday night I'm telling my parents that we're together. Valentine's Day is about showing people how much you care about them, and I'm going to show you by making this relationship public."

"You're ready?"

"I'm ready for people to know that I've fallen for you, August."

He beamed. "You love me, Swan?"

She grinned back at him. "I love you, Booth."

He pulled her to him, his lips unable to spend another second away from hers. He felt her deepen the kiss and wrap her arms around his neck. One of his hands became tangled in her curls, while the other wandered down to her lower back. He felt his fingers clench the material of her shirt, and he pushed her even closer to him. Her hands left his neck and he felt them fumble with the buttons on his shirt. He continued to kiss her as he felt her push his shirt off his shoulders, and he only released his grip on her in order to slip his arms from his sleeves. Instead of returning to his previous position, he gripped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head in one swift movement. Her hands ran down his bare chest, and he moaned into her mouth. The sound of his belt being undone didn't faze him, and as he felt the strip of leather being pulled away, he reached down and pushed his jeans towards his ankles. He stepped out of the material and kicked his pants away as he moved even closer to her, if that was even possible. He pulled his lips from hers for a second so that he could look down and unfasten her jeans. Within seconds, she was completely free from her own pants, and he carelessly tossed them across the room. He crashed his lips to hers and pushed her down onto the bed. They quickly climbed under the covers, and he felt the sheets twist around them as they stripped off the rest of their garments. Finally he could feel his skin against hers, and he let out a sigh of relief. He clung to her as thoughts of love filled his head, and he kissed her with such passion that he heard her moan with pleasure. He wished that he could freeze this moment and live in it forever, because being with her brought him an indescribable happiness.

He loved her, that much was certain. He was completely head over heels for this girl. She was all he could think about throughout the day and thoughts of her kept him up at night. He was absolutely addicted her. He needed her unlike he had ever needed someone before. He had to be with her or else he would be totally lost. He wasn't complete without her. She was the one person that he could completely give himself to. He couldn't imagine spending his life with anyone but her. She filled a hole in his heart that had been empty for his entire life. He couldn't believe that she was actually with him. It was like a dream come true. And hearing her words of love made him melt on the inside, as they were the pure and beautiful music to his ears. She was the most beautiful woman he had every laid eyes on. She was kind, gentle, and loving, while she could be fiery and fierce at the same time. She kept his life interesting, that was for sure. But every minute spent with her just made him love her more. He wanted her and nothing else. He was in love with Emma Swan.

She had been surprised when she realized that she loved him. She had tried so hard throughout her life to keep people out, and yet he had demolished her walls. She had never let a man completely love her, and yet it felt so natural with him. Being with him felt right, and she knew that she was where she was supposed to be. She had no trouble giving him her heart, as she knew that he would guard it with his life. She knew that he would never hurt her. He had promised to make her happy, but it turned out that he was what made her happy. He completed her in a way that no one ever had before. She felt alive when she was with him. She had never relied so heavily on someone before, but she trusted him to protect her heart. She knew that he made her live as the best version of herself. She wanted to be worthy of him. He was such an amazing guy and she couldn't believe that he wanted to be with someone like her. He deserved the world, and yet he chose to be with her. He was everything that she had ever wanted. He was the perfect guy for her, and she knew that no one else could bring her as much happiness as he did. She needed to be with him more than anything in the world. She couldn't imagine losing him, and she would never let that happen. He was her soul mate, and she was absolutely sure of it. She had fallen in love with August Booth.

Emma rested her chin on his chest as she absentmindedly traced circles on his bare skin. She pressed her palm over his heart and could feel the steady and comforting beat. The rise and fall of his chest was calming to her, and she laid her head down. She felt his arms encircle her, while he planted soft kisses in her hair. They laid there in silence for a few moments, each of them enjoying the simple fact that they were together. Being with one another was all that they needed.

August heard her light snores after a few minutes. He ran his fingers through her hair as she peacefully slept. He felt his eyelids become heavy, and he gave into his exhaustion.

* * *

Snow rolled over as she woke up, only to discover that James's side of the bed was empty. She wondered where he was as she sat up and yawned. She moved to get out of bed when the door to her bedroom swung open. Her husband walked in with a smile on his face as he carried a tray of food.

"Breakfast in bed for my beautiful wife," he told her as he set the tray down in front of her. "Happy Valentine's Day, my love."

She gave him a quick kiss before she broke into a grin. "Thank you, Charming."

"You know, it's a pity that we didn't have this holiday back home."

"That's just because you look for every opportunity to shower me with gifts."

"You're my wife, and I love you. Excuse me if I want to celebrate that," he said with a large smile.

She laughed as she picked up her fork and started to eat. "You know that I don't need you to. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy it."

He chuckled as he sat down next to her. "You better get used to it, because today is all about you. This holiday is about showing others how much you love them, and I intend to do just that."

"James, you don't need to go all out. I know that you love me."

"Look, I need to make up for the disaster that was last year. So it would be a lot easier if you just went with it."

Snow couldn't help but laugh as she thought about last year. It would have made things so much easier if she had known then that David was her husband and her true love. "Okay, I'll go along with whatever you have planned. But on one condition."

"And what is that, my dear?"

She leaned forward and gave him a long and deep kiss. "I get to kiss you whenever I want."

"I have no problem with that," he stated as he pulled her close to him. He gave her another kiss as his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands becoming tangled in her hair. Her arms encircled his neck as they locked into a loving and passionate embrace. They stayed that way until the shrill beeping of her alarm caused them to pull apart.

"I have to start getting ready for school."

"Take the day off and stay here with me."

"You have to go to work. Just because Emma is our daughter doesn't mean that she won't fire you."

He laughed. "That is true, but it would be worth it."

She climbed out of bed, and he followed her. He grabbed the tray and headed toward the kitchen. She proceeded to start the coffee as he began to scrub the dishes. Once finished, he set out two plates of food for his daughter and grandson. He could hear shuffling upstairs, and he assumed that they were just getting up. While they waited for their coffee, Snow pulled her husband towards her, and they resumed their embrace from before. For some reason, she couldn't stop kissing him today, and she was totally oblivious to her surroundings. For right now, James was all she could think about, and he was her entire world.

"Ewww."

They broke apart just as Henry took his seat at the table. Snow couldn't help but laugh at the disgusted face her grandson was making, and James just shook his head as he chuckled.

"One day, you won't think it's gross," he told his grandson.

"Hopefully that's not too soon," Emma said as she joined her son. She smiled at her parents and ruffled Henry's hair as she began to quickly eat her breakfast. "Is the coffee almost ready?"

Snow could see the exhaustion on her daughter's face. It was obvious that the blonde had missed out on a significant amount of sleep, and the brunette knew the cause of that. She didn't want to think about her daughter sneaking off in the middle of the night to spend time with a boy. Despite the fact that the blonde was a grown woman, Snow still thought of her as her precious baby girl. The brunette did enjoy the fact that Emma was still attempting to hide her relationship with August. James had no clue what was going on, which was probably a good thing. Snow did not want to see her husband's reaction to this news, as he was the stereotypical protective father. The brunette, on the other hand, had known from the beginning what Emma was doing with the puppet. It helped that she had caught August kissing her daughter, but that had just confirmed her suspicions. And now she was very aware of the fact that the blonde was sneaking out each night. She had figured it out on the first night, and she was shocked that Emma hadn't realized it yet. It did provide a source of entertainment for the brunette, as she was always curious to discover when Emma would catch on to everything. Lately the developments in her daughter's love life had been constantly on her mind, as she just wanted the best for her little girl. She just hoped that they would finally be able to be open about everything, as she hated the secrets and the sneaking around.

James handed Emma and Snow mugs of coffee, which they accepted, Emma much more eagerly than her mother. The three adults quickly drained their mugs and then went to get ready for their days. It was no secret that Emma was moving sluggishly, while Snow found it difficult to prepare for her day with James distracting her.

Before too much longer, they were finally out the door. James gave his wife a quick kiss and his grandson a hug before climbing into his truck. Emma followed him after she said her own farewells to her family. As those two drove towards the station, Snow and Henry got in her car and headed to the school.

Snow enjoyed this time alone with her grandson every day. He was such a sweet boy, and she had always been incredibly fond of him. Most of the time they talked about life back in the Enchanted Forest. He was so interested in their past, and she loved telling him stories about her life.

"When did you learn how to shoot a bow?" he asked her. He had been very interested in the subject of archery ever since he had gotten his own bow.

She had to think about it for a moment. "Well I officially learned when I was a little girl. My father taught me. But I never had a lot of time to practice, so I wasn't very good. I really started to use that skill when I was on the run, and I guess that's when I got to the point where it was a talent of mine."

"Do you like shooting a bow better than using a sword?"

"Yes. Archery is always my go-to pastime whenever I'm stressed. I remember many times when I would go out into the forest near our castle and set up a shooting range. It's very peaceful and relaxing, and a good way to clear your head."

"I really like swords."

She laughed. "That's why you will make a wonderful prince."

"You really think so?" he inquired as he hopped out of her car.

She smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "I know so."

Henry ran off to go play with the other children while she went to her classroom. She enjoyed the silence and the peaceful setting as she set up for the day. She was glad that she had chosen to return to her teaching career, as it was much less stressful than trying to run the town. She was glad that she could have a somewhat normal life, despite everything that had happened.

The day went by quickly and smoothly as they hurried through their lessons. She had promised her students a small class party after lunch, and she could tell that they were excited. They had never done this type of thing during the curse, and it was nice to have a change.

As they set up the classroom right before recess, Snow heard a knock on her door. Once sure that her students didn't need any help, she crossed the room and opened it.

James stood in the doorway, a wide smile on his face and a beautiful bouquet of roses in his hands. She grinned and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you, Charming."

"Beautiful flowers for my beautiful wife. I love you." He pulled her in for another kiss.

"I'm in the middle of class, so you can't stay."

"I know, I know. I have to get back to work anyway. But I also wanted to tell you that I made dinner reservations for seven tonight."

"You don't need to go all out like this, James."

"I want to," he said as he gave her another kiss. "I'll see you later."

She returned to her classroom with a smile on her face. She noticed Henry's smile as she set her bouquet on her desk. She had to admit, she was starting to like Valentine's Day more and more.

* * *

Emma sat in a booth at Granny's, her son sitting across from her. Since her parents had left a while ago for dinner, she had decided to take Henry out for some dessert in order to make up for the mac and cheese she had attempted to make him. She could tell that he was having a hard time deciding between a sundae and a piece of cake, so she decided to order both just to make him happy. Despite the fact that she had fallen for August, Henry was her real Valentine today.

August was sitting at a table not too far away, busy with his own dinner. He kept sneaking glances at Emma, and she was trying to hide the smile that overtook her face every time their eyes met. It was actually pretty adorable, and it just made him grin even more.

As Henry and Emma demolished their desserts, Snow and James joined them in their booth. They had had a wonderful dinner together, and it was nice having time for just the two of them, but they loved their family and wanted to spend the rest of the night with their daughter and grandson. They each ordered a little something as they listened to Henry describe his class party in detail. Conversation moved to Emma's cooking abilities as the boy told his grandparents about his questionable dinner, causing the blonde to go beet red. Despite the fact that she was thoroughly embarrassed, she would be lying if she said that she didn't enjoy this time with her family.

August couldn't help but watch the Charming family. He had his father, and he loved him, but he wanted a family of his own. He wanted to be a part of Emma's family, because she could see the love that radiated from each person. They all looked so happy together, and he just wanted some of that happiness. He was glad that he was with Emma. He knew that one day he would have a large family, and he knew that he would have that with the blonde. And that knowledge made him happy, because it was all that he had ever wanted.

As Red delivered the rest of their desserts, Emma excused herself to run to the bathroom. Snow and James continued to talk to their grandson about his day, and they were completely oblivious to the others in the diner. The sound of the door opening didn't catch their attention, and neither did the man that strolled in.

He ran his fingers through his now-wet hair. He hated the rain more than anything. He took a seat at the bar and motioned to the waitress. She was hot, and he was definitely going to hit on her. Besides, waitresses were always easy to go for.

"Scotch on the rocks, please," he said as he flashed a smile. She raised her eyebrow but said nothing as she got him his drink. As she placed it in front of him, he smiled again. "Thank you...?"

"Uh, Ruby. My name's Ruby."

"That's a beautiful name." He took a quick sip of his drink before setting it back down on the table. "I do have to ask, where exactly am I? My GPS malfunctioned and I was having car issues, so I had to stop here."

"You're not from here?"

He raised his eyebrow. "No...I came here from Vegas. Do you not get a lot of visitors?"

"Storybrooke isn't really a tourist destination."

"That's a funny name for a town," he stated as he took another drink. "So Ruby, where can I get a room here in Storybrooke."

"Right here, actually. I can set you up with one once you're done."

"That would be amazing," he told her with a small wink. She didn't even react to his obvious attempts to flirt, and she walked away. He wasn't discouraged, as he knew that he could get her if he tried hard enough.

Red pretended like she was refilling Snow and James's waters, when in reality, she had to talk to them. She kept shooting glances at the man as she walked over to her friends. "That man at the bar isn't from here," she said through her teeth.

Snow raised her eyebrow. "What?"

"He's from the outside world. I don't know how he got here, but he was looking for a place to stay."

"Did you catch his name?" James asked.

Red shook her head. "I'll find out, though. We need to take care of this," she told them as she walked back to the kitchen.

Emma came back into the dining area, making sure to flash August a quick smile. As she headed towards her family's table, she heard a voice that made her freeze.

She would recognize his voice anywhere. He had ruined her life, and she would never forget what he had done to her. His face and voice gave her nightmares, and they haunted her memories. Suddenly, she wasn't in the diner anymore. She was pinned against the wall as he defiled her. She felt her fingers clench into fists, and her jaw locked. She could hear her parents calling her name, but she chose to block them out. There was only one thing that she could focus on. Her anger. She felt it boil inside of her as she thought of how much she wanted to give him a piece of her mind. She wanted revenge for what he had done to her. She knew that she should be a bigger person, but she had never forgotten or forgiven him. She wanted to make him feel her pain. She wanted to know the agony that he had caused her. She wanted to make him pay for what he had done.

He heard her name a few times, but he chose to tune it out. He hadn't thought about the blonde in years, and her name didn't really affect him. He remembered what had happened, but that was in the past. He didn't care about her then, so he saw no reason to care about her now. Besides, there was a one-in-a-million chance that he would run into her in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

He noticed that the hot waitress, her name started with an 'R', was staring at something behind him. He turned in his seat and locked eyes with one person that he never thought he would see again. One person who he was afraid of, because he knew what he had done to her. And while he didn't care about his past actions, he knew that she would. And he knew that she would want his head for what he had done.

"Emma?" he whispered, still unable to believe that she was standing right there.

"You," she spat at him, nothing but hate in her words.

He held up his hands. "Now let's be rational. There's no need to do anything crazy."

She laughed. It was a harsh and mocking sound, and he knew that he was done for. "I'm going to kill you."

His eyes widened. "Emma, I-"

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" she screamed as she lunged across the diner.

**DUN DUN DUNNNNN! I'm sorry guys, but I love the cliffhangers...**

**I've just started the next chapter, and let's just say, there is going to be action, drama, tears, and feels...and not just for the characters ;)**

**I also have a bit of news for you guys...there is a MAJOR plot twist coming. Message me if you want a clue!**

**Feel free to message me anytime...I really love to hear from you, and I promise that I don't bite! And don't ever be afraid to ask for sneak peeks!**

**Hope you enjoyed, and please review!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter! **

**Despite the fact that school has been killing me lately, I managed to get this chapter done in a decent amount of time...I am really happy with how it turned out, and I can't wait to see what you think!**

**Thanks toladywolf101 for being my awesome beta!**

**Now, I promised drama...so here we go...**

His stool overturned as he scrambled out of the diner. He burst through the doors and out onto the street, barely aware of the cold water droplets hitting him. He had to run. He had no other choice. She was going to kill him, and he knew that without a doubt. He had ruined her life, and he figured that this was just karma coming back to get him. He didn't make it far before he felt a force slam into his body, knocking him to the ground. He was flipped on his back so that he was looking into her eyes. She had hardly changed in the twelve years since he had last seen her, yet there was something new in her eyes. Pure hate.

Emma had seen red as she had screamed at him. She had blocked out everything else in the diner as she had focused on her hate for him. She wanted to make him feel her pain more than anything, and that desire took complete control of her. She found herself chasing after him down the road, her adrenaline keeping her moving. She was in excellent shape, so she easily tackled him. As soon as he was on the ground, she flipped him over so that she could look into his eyes. She had been forced to look into his eyes as he defiled her all those years ago, and she wanted to look into his eyes as she got her revenge.

She stared at him for a moment before she spit in his face. "You are a disgusting excuse for a human, and you don't deserve to live after what you did to me." She punched him in the center of his face as hard as she could. She heard a cracking sound, and her fist was immediately covered in his blood. "You ruined my life!" she yelled as she hit him again, this time in the eye. She didn't hold back as she screamed curses at him and punched him in his face. She could hear his groans of pain and the cracking of his bones, but she didn't care. She grabbed his head and slammed it against the pavement. "HOW DOES IT FEEL?" she screamed as she completely lost control. She could hear her name being called over and over, but no one attempted to come near her while she was lost in her rage. It felt like hours as she beat him, when in reality, it was only a few moments. "I HATE YOU!" she screamed in his face, then she pulled away for a second.

He took advantage of her slight stall, and he flung his arm up. He slammed it into the side of her head, and she fell to the side. He pushed her off of him completely and quickly punched her in the face. He heard a whimper as he connected with her nose. "You deserved it! You are a piece of trash that doesn't deserve any better!" he yelled as he swung another punch. His fist didn't connect with her face, however, as another body slammed into his.

"DO NOT TOUCH HER!" August yelled as he tumbled to the ground. He pinned the other man under him and slammed his face into the ground. He couldn't control himself. No one had the right to say that to Emma. No one could treat his girlfriend that way. He didn't care that the blonde had started it. He knew that this man must have done something horrible to her in order to get a reaction like that from her. August had never seen Emma react so violently before. He wanted to rip this man limb from limb, but he knew now wasn't the time.

Emma wiped the flowing blood from her nose as she listened to August scream at him. She didn't even hear what her boyfriend said, as her mind could only focus on what that pathetic excuse for a man had said to her. And despite all the walls she had constructed and all the progress she had made with her family and August, she couldn't help but believe him. And that made her even angrier. She wasn't going to stand by and let him say things like that to her. She would not back down anymore.

She quickly threw herself back at the two men in a desperate attempt to get ahold of him once more. "Let me at him..." she growled as she put all of her weight into pushing August off of him.

"No," August told her as he pushed her away. He had a firm grip on the other man, and he didn't need Emma to make things worse.

"Get out of my way," she spat at him as he pushed away all of her advances.

"Emma, stop!" she heard coming from behind her, but she ignored it.

"He deserves to die!" she yelled as she shoved into August again.

"EMMA!" she heard her parents yell. She felt someone's hands grab her arms and pull her away from the two men. They were strong, but she had adrenaline on her side. She threw her elbow as hard as she could towards the person holding her back, and she heard a loud crack as she connected with their face. They instantly released their grip on her, and she spun around. Her mouth dropped open when she noticed her father holding his jaw as blood dripped from his mouth.

She froze as she realized what she had done. She had just hurt her own father in her own quest for vengeance. She had only wanted to cause that pathetic excuse for a man pain, not her own family. She had been blinded by her rage, and she knew that she was terrifying people. She noticed that her mother was staring at her, and the brunette's eyes were wide as saucers. The blonde scanned the small crowd that had formed, and her eyes locked with her son's. She saw nothing but terror in them, and that shattered her heart. She took one final glance at the two struggling men on the ground, August definitely having the upper hand. She looked at her parents and son, noticing how much pain and fear she saw in their eyes. She couldn't hurt them anymore.

Emma turned around and ran as fast as she could down the street. She heard her name being called, but she ignored it as she entered the woods. The rain blurred her vision, but not as much as her tears did. She couldn't see where she was going, so she just ran. She just needed to get away.

* * *

When Snow had seen Emma lock eyes with the stranger, she knew that something was wrong. The blonde's eyes had gone dark with hate, but only after they had filled with a fear like no other. The brunette knew that this man had to have hurt Emma. He must have caused her daughter an unbelievable amount of pain, and Snow could already feel hate for him grow inside her. She was ready to protect her daughter at all costs, but she had not expected what was to happen next.

The diner had been somewhat empty, so the noise level had been relatively low. That had made it easy for everyone to hear Emma's first statement to the man. For a moment, the room was filled with complete silence as everyone had turned towards the blonde. The man had pleaded with her in a desperate attempt to save himself from her wrath. It didn't work. Snow had been shocked when her daughter had very loudly threatened to kill him, followed by her lunging at him. Emma was an aggressive person, that wasn't a secret, and she was willing to go to many lengths to get what she wanted. But Emma wasn't the type of person who viciously attacked people. She finished fights, but rarely ever started one. And Snow had never known her daughter to be someone who wanted to take another's life. And yet, the brunette doubted that Emma would hold back if she wasn't stopped.

As soon as the blonde had chased the stranger, Snow and James had jumped out of their booth to follow her. However, they were stopped when a table was flipped over right into their path. August had the same idea as them apparently, and he had gone after Emma without a second thought. By the time the brunette and her husband had made it outside, she was shocked to find her daughter on top of the man and beating his face in. She heard vile things being spewed from the blonde's mouth, and her mouth fell open in horror. Before she could react to the current situation, the stranger hit Emma as hard as he could in her face. The anger that rushed through her veins caused her vision to blur, and she clenched her fists as she stormed forward. She saw James do the same, and she knew that her husband wanted to strangle that man for hurting his daughter. Neither of them had the chance to seek their revenge, as August tackled the man and pinned him to the ground. Snow noticed that James looked confused by the sudden outburst from the puppet, but he didn't have time to dwell on that, as Emma tried to attack the stranger again. One thing was for sure, the blonde didn't give up. They called to her over and over, but she had completely tuned them out. James tried to pull her away, but she had elbowed him in the face, causing him to release her. Snow had watched as her daughter realized what she had done, and the brunette could see the hurt and horror written across her child's face. It broke her heart. She didn't know what to do, and so she stood there silently. She regretted that decision as soon as Emma ran away.

Snow shared a look with her husband, and they quickly followed Emma. They had no idea where she was headed, so they called to her as they ran. They hoped that she would want their comfort, but Snow doubted that that would be the case. Emma was obviously going through a lot right now, and times like these were when the blonde tried to push away the most.

They heard a scream echo through the forest. It wasn't filled with fear, but rather, pure anger. The brunette immediately felt more worried for her daughter, as she wasn't sure what state they would find the blonde in.

There was a dull thudding sound that was coming from their right. They headed towards it, noticing that it got louder as they approached. They came across a small clearing, and Snow's eyes immediately flew to her daughter.

Emma was holding a large stick, and she was putting all her effort into swinging it at a tree. Her breathing was labored, and she grunted with every swing. It was obvious that she just needed something to hit, and that every time she crashed the stick against the tough bark, her anger seeped out of her. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and she had dried blood across her face. She had a hurt look in her eyes, a look that broke each of her parent's hearts.

James knew that he had to stop her. He didn't care if she hit him in the face again. He didn't care what happened to him, as long as he could take care of Emma. He walked up behind her and waited for her next swing. While the stick was in the air, he reached out and got a firm grasp on it. He felt her jerk against him with all her strength, but he was stronger. He twisted the stick so that her arm was forced into an awkward position, causing her to loosen her grip. He pulled the piece of wood away and tossed it aside. She was still struggling to hit something, so he grasped each of her arms and spun her to face him. She curled her fingers into fists as she fought against him. He shook her, hoping to snap her out of this trance she was in.

"Emma!" he fiercely whispered.

Her face snapped up so that she locked her gaze with his. He looked into her blue eyes, a perfect mirror of his own, and the things he saw broke him. He saw raw pain, pain that is all-consuming, and yet buried at the same time. He saw a broken heart that had been shattered into pieces and then tossed to the side. He saw a little girl that just wanted to be loved, a little girl who had been alone her entire life. He saw his beautiful baby, his daughter.

Her final wall that she had kept up all this time crumbled. She felt all of her defenses slip as she let her tears fall. She stopped fighting against herself and her father, and she let herself break into sobs. She felt her legs go weak, but he kept her from falling as he pulled her to him. She rested her head against his chest as she stained his shirt with her tears, all while she gripped the fabric with her hands. She felt him run her fingers through her hair. She heard his voice whisper loving things to her as she let out all of her built up emotions. She felt someone rub her back, and she instantly knew that it was her mother. The three of them sank to the forest floor, Emma being cradled between her parents. Her mother and father were all that she needed right now.

After some time, James stood, picking Emma up with him. He held her close to him as he carried her through the woods. Snow stayed by his side every second, and she would run her fingers through her daughter's hair every few moments. They walked the entire way in silence, as no one felt the need to say anything. There were plenty of things on Snow and James's minds, but they knew that they couldn't push their daughter right now, not after she had completely broken down.

The apartment seemed like a haven from their troubles as they climbed the stairs leading up to it. Snow opened the door and held it open as James shuffled inside. They were shocked when Henry immediately ran up to them.

"Is she okay?" he asks his grandparents.

"She is going to be fine, Henry. You don't need to worry," Snow answered. Her eyes scanned the apartment as she looked for answers. Henry had been with Red at the diner, and that didn't explain why he was here.

"She's going to be okay?" Snow turned to face August as he stood up from his seat on the couch. His face was lightly bruised, but other than that, he looked unaffected from the brawl he had participated in.

The brunette nodded. "She a little shaken up, but there's nothing to worry about."

"Good."

Snow turned to her husband, who still was carrying an unresponsive Emma. "Put her down here in our room. I want to be able to keep an eye on her tonight." James nodded as he headed to the bedroom. He had a million thoughts running through his head, some of which involved August and why he was here, but for now the prince could only focus on his daughter. He made sure she was comfortable before he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. He didn't want to leave her, but he had some business to attend to.

His wife had sent Henry up to bed just as James returned to the kitchen. He noticed August and the brunette speaking in hushed tones, and he felt the need to insert himself into the conversation.

"August," he said, his tone firm. He couldn't help it, as he automatically was in protective father mode. "I have to thank you for breaking up that fight back there. Who knows what would have happened if it had gone on for another minute."

The puppet gave a nod. "I couldn't stand back and watch him treat her like that. Regardless of her actions, which were completely out of character, might I add."

"You care about how others treat her," he stated. "And you are willing to protect her."

"I care about her."

James wasn't fooled by August's charade. "You love her."

He nodded. "Yes I do. With all my heart."

The prince didn't know what to say. He had not seen this coming, so it was a bit of a shock to him. He was overcome with the need to protect his daughter, and yet, he didn't feel like August was a threat. He knew that the other man was being completely honest, and he trusted him. He could see the love in the puppet's eyes as he spoke about Emma. James knew what love felt like, and he could tell that August was in love with her. He really wanted to play the role of protective father, and he would, but deep down he genuinely was happy to hear that his little girl had someone who loved her. He knew that August would treat Emma right, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I will hold you to that."

"I would expect you to," the puppet said.

Snow was glad that her husband was accepting of her daughter's boyfriend, and she could see the trust and approval on James's face. She wished that they could take this conversation further, but there were more pressing matters at hand. James seemed to think the same thing, as he changed the topic relatively quick.

"We can discuss this further at a later time, but there is an issue we all need to address. Who was that man?"

"After you two chased after Emma, I took him to the station. He's behind bars, and Thomas agreed to take the night shift while we take care of Emma. I did search him quickly, and I found a wallet, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and a bag of a white substance. I'd have to test it to be sure, but I suspect cocaine."

"Lovely," Snow mumbled.

"I looked through his wallet and got his basic information. His name is John Miller. He's forty years old and from Las Vegas, Nevada. I would have checked his records, but I decided it would be best to go back to the diner and bring Henry home."

Snow had frozen in place at the mention of his name. She had been haunted by the name of the man who had hurt her daughter so much, and now she knew that he was here. She should have seen it sooner, as not many people would have made Emma react the way she did. The brunette felt anger course through her veins as she gritted her teeth. She wanted to finish what Emma had started. She wanted that man dead.

She left the conversation and headed straight to her bedroom towards her daughter. The blonde was curled up in a ball on the bed, silent tears still running down her cheeks. Snow knelt by the side of the bed and brushed some of the tears away.

"Sweetheart, I've got to ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with me. I know it's hard, but I'm going to be right here for you." Emma didn't respond, and the brunette took a deep breath. "August found out that the man's name is John. Is that the John you told me about?" she whispered.

Emma closed her eyes and gave a small nod.

Snow bit her lip and tried to hold back a sob. Seeing the pain on her baby's face killed her. Plus she had hoped that she was wrong about that man. She desperately wanted him to be anyone other than Henry's father. She wiped away the fresh tears that had begun to run down Emma's face. "It's all going to be okay."

"But what if it's not? I never thought I would see him again."

"I know, but you don't have to worry. You have two parents now who love and adore you, and we are going to make sure that everything is taken care of."

"It's so hard though, after what he did to me. And if that's not bad enough, what if Henry finds out who he is? I can't let that happen to my son."

"I'm not going to let him be burdened by that. I love that little boy just as much as I love you, and I am going to protect him. I can promise you that."

Emma was silent for a moment. "No one else knows who John really is."

Snow bit her lip. "I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone, not even your father, and I've kept that promise. But, I don't think that we can properly deal with this if your father doesn't know. This affects all of us, and we just want to be here for you. Either you can tell him or I can, whichever you want. I know it's going to be hard, but I'm going to be here for you every second."

The blonde nodded. "I can't tell him. I need you to do it."

"Okay. Anything for you," the brunette said as she stood.

"Mom?"

"Yes, baby girl?" Snow asked as she knelt back down.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, you don't need to apologize for anything, Emma." She kissed her daughter's forehead and tucked a curl behind her ear. "Everything is going to be just fine."

As she walked back out into the living room, she wondered if she kept saying that to ease Emma's mind, or to convince herself that it was true.

The two men were busy speaking about background checks when the brunette returned.

"What was that about?" James asked his wife as he gestured towards the bedroom.

"August, I need to have a private conversation with my husband. Why don't you go watch over Emma? She shouldn't be alone." He nodded and exited the living room, leaving Snow and James alone.

The prince raised his eyebrow. "What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Let's sit down, James," she said as she pulled him towards the couch. Once they were both comfortable, she took his hands in hers. She took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "Do you remember that night when Emma and I had that big heart-to-heart?"

He thought about it for a moment. "The time when I found you out on the couch after you had been crying all night?"

She nodded. "Do you remember when I told you that there were some specific things that Emma asked me not to tell you?"

"Yes..."

"And I've kept that promise. But I talked to her about it, and she has given me her permission to tell you."

He had a bad feeling about this conversation. He was nervous to hear what his wife was going to tell him next. "Does it have to do with that man?"

Snow took another deep breath. "When Emma was seventeen, she worked in a small diner. She met someone, and despite the fact that he was a lot older than her, she pursued him. They dated for a while, when he discovered that she was living in her car-"

"She lived in her car?"

The brunette offered a small nod before she continued. "He offered her a place to stay, and she accepted. She convinced herself that she loved him, even though looking back, she didn't. After a while, she discovered that he had some not-so legal habits, but she chose to ignore it."

"Why would she do that?"

"She was a teenager, James."

"Still," he mumbled, earning a small glare from his wife.

"Anyway, one night he came home drunk and high off of multiple drugs. She said that he got angry and aggressive for no reason, and then...he..." Snow clenched her fists as she struggled to get the words out. "He held a gun to our daughter's head and he forced her to-"

"Don't say it," James told her. He couldn't believe what his wife was telling him. He had never thought that Emma had gone through something so incredibly traumatic. He wanted to cry and scream at the same time. He felt a surge of hate run through his veins, and it took everything in him to remain calm.

"There's more," Snow stated, causing him to snap out of his thoughts.

"More?" he asked, barely able to comprehend how this could get any worse.

"Emma ran that night and got to safety. But he put drugs and weapons in her car and called the cops. She was arrested the next day and then put in jail for eleven months."

Understanding ran across his face. "Henry was born in jail. That means that...that monster...oh no..."

She nodded. "She doesn't want him to know. That's a burden that he shouldn't have to bear. He thinks that his father is dead, and Emma wants it to stay that way."

"So that pathetic excuse for a man is the guy that...and that's why she reacted the way she did..." he whispered to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Please tell me this isn't true."

"I wish I could."

He looked up at his wife. "You've known this whole time...and you've had to deal with this alone..."

"James, don't worry about me. Emma is the one we need to focus on. She's in there, and she's more broken than I've ever seen her before. She never thought that she would have to face him again, and yet he's here. She needs us more than she ever has before."

"I'm going to kill that man...that John..." he spat, the name poison in his mouth.

"You're going to have to get in line."

He stood and headed to the door. He grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. "I'm going to go to the station and give that man a piece of my mind."

"Don't do something that you're going to regret. You're not thinking straight. You're blinded by your rage." He clenched and unclenched his fists. His face was hot and his vision was blurred. He had started to shake, and he couldn't focus on anything but his daughter's tormenter. He felt hands on the sides of his face, and his wife turned his head so that he was looking into her eyes. "Look at me James. Come back to me," she whispered.

He instantly felt calmed, and he started to relax as he gazed into his wife's eyes. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just...I need..."

"I know," she said. "I know how it feels. But we have a daughter that needs us, and she is our first priority."

He nodded. "You're right." He pulled her to him so that she was nestled against his chest. He let himself have a moment of weakness, and he let a few tears fall. He felt her wrap her arms around him, and for a second, they cried together for their daughter. He pulled away and wiped away her tears, and she leaned forward and wiped away his. He threaded his fingers through hers and pulled her towards the bedroom. "Let's go take care of our little girl."

* * *

John wiped at his nose as he sat in the cramped cell. The young blonde deputy was still staring at him with hate in his eyes, and John would be lying if he said it didn't make him uncomfortable. He had no idea why he was being treated like a criminal, as Emma had attacked him. Something was off about this town, that much was for sure. There was something about the people here that made him think of his childhood, something he hadn't done in years. His life had been filled with unjust actions back then, and this town operated just like the place where he had grown up. Emma had gotten off scotch free, while he was locked behind bars. And to make matters worse, that guy that had intervened had taken away his cigarettes and his best cocaine. He had already felt waves of withdrawal setting in, since it had been a few hours now since he'd indulged in either of his addictions. He knew that if this deputy would stop looking at him, he would be able to pick this lock and get out of here. Plus he knew where his stuff was, and he at least needed a smoke. He doubted that the deputy would break his icy stare, so he had to come up with a new plan. He thought for a moment when an idea crossed his mind.

He stood and rattled the bars. "Hey, I need to use the restroom."

"You can wait."

"You're just going to let me piss my pants?"

"I'm under strict orders not to let you out of my sight for a second."

"I'm not going to try anything. I just gotta pee."

The deputy rolled his eyes before he stood and walked towards the cell. "No funny business, or you will pay for it."

"Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up, I gotta go."

"Shut it," the deputy said as he fumbled with his keys. As he slid the key into the lock, John reached through the bars and grasped his hair. With all of his might, he slammed the deputy's head against the bars. The man slid to the ground, completely knocked out. He had a gash on his forehead where his skin had split open, and blood was trickling from it. John smirked as he reached down and pulled the keys from the limp hand. He easily slid one into the lock and sung the door open. He walked out and headed towards one of the desks. He unlocked a drawer and pulled out his belongings. He didn't even bother to close it as he pulled a cigarette to his lips. He lit it as he walked out of the station, fully prepared to leave this town behind.

As he walked down the street, he looked for a car that he could steal. There were slim pickings, geez was this a ghost town?, but he finally came across a car parked in an alleyway by a pawn shop. It looked pretty nice, and John felt a smile shape his lips. He took a long drag from his cigarette before he picked up a rock and smashed the window. He unlocked the door and slid in, pulling his pocket knife from his shoe. He didn't get much farther, as he was pulled from his seat and thrown to the ground. Man, this day just kept getting worse.

"What do you think you're doing?" a voice spat at him.

John froze. He knew that voice. It had haunted his dreams for years. He hadn't been able to get it out of his head, and now he couldn't believe his ears. He turned so that he was facing the owner of the voice. He looked into the eyes of one person that he never thought he would see again. Someone who had broken their side of the most important deal he had ever made.

His papa.

* * *

"STOP!" Emma yelled out in her sleep.

"Shhh...it's alright...I've got you..." Snow whispered as she pulled her daughter towards her. She ran her fingers through the blonde locks as she listened to the soft whimpers coming from her little girl.

James leaned forward in his chair that was positioned next to the bed. He watched for a moment as his wife calmed down their daughter once more, and he only relaxed when Emma had quieted down.

The blonde had been having the same nightmare for hours. Every so often she would call out, and her parents would have to calm her down. Eventually Snow had just stayed up on the bed next to her, as the blonde seemed to constantly need the protection of her mother. The brunette refused to give in to her exhaustion, and she silently sat next to her as she provided comfort whenever it was need. James watched his daughter all night, wishing that he could protect her from the horror she was experiencing. He knew that she was dreaming about John, and that just made him hate that man even more. Every time his daughter cried out James felt his heart break even more.

"Has it passed?" he asked his wife after a moment.

Snow looked at Emma's face for a few seconds before nodding. "She's sleeping peacefully right now, but who knows how long it will last." The brunette continued to run her fingers through her daughter's curls. The blonde scooted closer to her mother in her sleep, which just made Snow want to cry. Normally she would rejoice at how close her little girl was being, but she knew that Emma's actions were the direct result of pain. Snow hated when her daughter was hurting. She would do anything to make it go away.

"No..." Emma mumbled. "I don't want to..."

"It's just a dream, sweetheart," Snow said. "You're okay. I've got you, baby girl. He can't hurt you."

The blonde fell silent once more, and James shared a look with his wife. "It's getting worse, and more frequent."

"I don't know what else to do," Snow stated as she let a tear fall down her cheek. She didn't even try to wipe it away.

"We've done everything that we could. We've been here with her all night. We haven't left her side through any of this."

"I know, but my baby is hurting so much, and it kills me."

He felt a tear of his own trickle down his cheek. "She's my baby too, Snow. I know exactly how it feels."

The sound of Snow's alarm rang through the bedroom. James quickly silenced it so that Emma wouldn't wake. Luckily the blonde didn't even stir, and the prince relaxed in his chair. Light had started to seep in through the window, but he chose to ignore it. Despite the fact that it was morning, they were going to let Emma sleep as long as she wanted, as she had been through enough in the past few hours. He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Henry come down the stairs. He stood and headed out to the kitchen to help the boy get ready for his day.

His grandson was brushing his teeth when James knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey kid. I need you to hurry up and get ready so that I can take you to school. Don't forget to eat something before you leave, okay?" The boy nodded in response.

They had decided that it would be best to send Henry to school, as they had a lot to deal with today. The boy needed to be protected from John, and it was best if he stayed in his usual routine. It was the easiest arrangement for everyone involved.

James returned to the bedroom, as he heard his daughter call out again. He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Emma's back as her mother rocked her back and forth. The blonde had started to sob, and her words were mumbled and choked out. She was still asleep, and it appeared that the dreams had taken an even bigger turn for the worse.

"Momma's got you, Emma. You're safe. I'm here," Snow told her over and over. Soon the blonde's cries died down, and she shook as she clung to her mother. The brunette sang her a soft lullaby, and Emma managed to drift back to sleep as she let the lullaby calm her down.

"Oh Emma," James whispered as he brushed some hair off of her forehead. He hated seeing his baby in this state. He wished that he could take all of her pain away. He had promised to protect her, and yet, all he could do was offer a few loving words. He couldn't protect her from these dreams, so he was forced to watch as she had to experience them over and over again. And despite the fact that she wasn't alone, she still looked like she was in pain. James watched as his wife continued to mutter loving words and phrases in their daughter's ear as the brunette ran her fingers through the long, golden locks. He was a little jealous of how close mother and daughter were. Emma needed Snow more than anything right now, and she always called for her mother every time she was hurting. James wished that he could have a bond like that with his daughter. He wished that she would completely trust him, and that she would let him comfort her. They weren't at that place yet, even though they had made a significant amount of progress since the curse broke. But despite all of this, James loved watching his wife interact with their daughter. Snow was such an amazing mother, and she didn't realize how much of an effect she had on the blonde. It was astounding.

The prince heard shuffling in the kitchen, and he decided to go make sure Henry was alright. Luckily the boy was busy getting ready for school, and he chose not to ask about his mother. James would tell his grandson what he needed to know on the way to school. Even though he was dreading that conversation. He didn't want to be away from his wife and child, and he didn't want to have to avoid topics wile with his grandson. He never lied or kept anything from Henry.

There was a soft knock at the door, and James quickly answered. A tired-looking August stood in the doorway, a few Granny's sacks in his hands and a tray of drinks in the other.

"August?"

"Two coffees for you and Snow, and hot chocolates with cinnamon for Emma and Henry," he said as he held up a tray of drinks. "I have a breakfast burrito and muffin for each of you, with hash browns and a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for Henry to eat as I take him to school."

James accepted the tray of drinks and the bags of food. "Why are you doing this?"

"Well, I'm looking out for Emma, and part of that is taking care of her family."

"Are you sure that you're not trying to buy my approval?"

"I never said that I wasn't," August said with a small smile. The prince invited him in, and they stood next to the door as they waited for Henry to finish getting ready. "How is she?"

"She's been having nightmares all night."

"About that guy?"

James nodded. "They have a very complicated past that isn't really up for discussion. It's Emma's private information, and she doesn't want anyone to know."

"Understandable."

"Are you going to head to the station after you drop Henry off?"

"Yes. I figured that I would relieve Thomas and do a background search on that guy. I'll wait for you to do the interrogating. You get dibs on that one, being her father and all."

The prince chuckled. "That's for sure. I'll probably head down there once Emma wakes up and I know that she's okay. Snow can handle her, but I still want to be here for a while just in case I'm needed."

Henry pulled his coat and backpack on. "I'm ready to head out," the boy said.

"Well, that's my cue to leave. I'll see you soon," he stated as he shook James's hand.

"Thank you, for everything. We'll talk more at the station."

August handed Henry his breakfast and hot chocolate, and they headed outside to the car. James watched out of the window as they headed down the street and towards the school. He was really impressed with how responsible and caring the puppet was towards their family. He could tell how truly committed he was to Emma, and James liked that about him. His daughter deserved to have someone like August.

James took their breakfasts into the bedroom. Emma was leaning against her mother with her head resting on the brunette's shoulder. He could see his wife's lips moving, and it took him a second to hear what she was saying.

"...I wondered how anyone would be willing to give up their life for me. I remember looking at him and seeing the love in his eyes, and I knew that he would do anything for me. I knew that he was the one that I loved, and in that moment, I knew that I wanted him back. I leaned forward and kissed him, instantly breaking my curse. The next time I opened my eyes, I was looking at the one I loved with all my heart. Your father had risked his own life so that I wouldn't let myself be filled with darkness, but he had done so much more than that. He had rescued me from my personal darkness. He helped me remember the person I was, and for that, I loved him even more. And even though he was taken from me moments later, I knew that we would be together. Because I loved him so much, and I couldn't bear to live my life without him."

James smiled as the memory Snow was describing came back to him. He was glad that she was sharing it with their daughter. It was proof of how much he loved his wife, and what he was willing to do for her.

He sat on the edge of the bed next to his wife and daughter. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said as he tucked a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear. "You hungry?"

She nodded and he pulled her food out of the bag. He handed it to her, and she looked grateful upon receiving it. He also gave his wife her coffee and food, and the three of them began to have breakfast in bed.

"You didn't have to run out to Granny's to get me food," the blonde told him after a moment.

"I didn't. August brought it by when he came to take Henry to school." He noticed a small smile spread across her lips, and he shared a quick look with Snow. "I approve of him, just so you know. I think that he is a very nice man and that he will treat you right."

She looked up at her father. "He told you?"

"I guessed."

"And I caught him sneaking a kiss," Snow inserted.

"Are you guys mad that I kept it from you?"

James shook his head. "Why would we be? You're an adult and you can make your own decisions, and I trust that you have a reason for everything you do."

She gave her father a grin before she returned her focus to her food. They ate in silence for a while, James and Snow sneaking glances at their daughter every few moments, it was obvious that the blonde was deep in thought, as her forehead was crinkled. They decided not to say anything, as they didn't want to push her.

"How bad was I last night?"

Snow sighed. "You called out every once in a while. It got more frequent as time went on."

"It was bad last night. Worse than it has been in years," she whispered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" James asked.

The blonde gave a small nod. "Seeing him again just made it more real. I tried to block it out for years, and it had worked for the most part. But now it's just so raw and fresh in my mind, and all my pain and anger is just resurfacing. And what's worse is that I have Henry. My son is nothing like the monster his father is, and I never want him to know where he came from. That's too much for him to handle."

"I hope you know that your father and I are going to kill him for you," Snow stated.

Emma laughed. "Thank you. That means a lot."

James cell phone rang, and he checked the caller I.D. before answering. It was August, so he figured that he should answer. He flipped his phone open and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"You need to get to the station as soon as possible. We have a major problem."

**Another cliffhanger...I know...please don't hate me...**

**So that chapter was packed with a ton of stuff, and I hope you guys enjoyed the drama. But of course, things can only get worse from here...**

**Please let me know what you think! Feel free to pm me, I swear I don't bite! And don't be afraid to ask for a sneak peek...**

**I can't be sure of when I will update next. I haven't started the next chapter, but I have it all planned out. I love to hear from you guys, because it really helps motivate me!**

**Please review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**I know it has been a while, but I had a really difficult time writing this chapter, plus school has been a nightmare.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love getting your feedback!**

**Thanks to ladywolf101 who continues to be a great beta!**

**Here's some drama for you guys...hope you enjoy!**

James kicked over one of the trash cans. "This cannot be happening!" he yelled. "We have to find him before he leaves town. I'm not finished with him just yet," he growled under his breath.

"We should split up. We have a better chance of finding him if we are all looking in different areas of the town," Thomas said.

August shook his head. "You are going to the hospital to get that head injury checked out."

"I said, I'm fine!"

"Look, we all need to focus on the task at hand. Thomas, you're going to go to the hospital, then you can go search if you're that desperate. August, I want you to take the squad car and go search the woods. I'll call the dwarves and have them look throughout the town."

"And where will you go, James?" the other prince asked.

He picked up an abandoned jacket from the cell. "I'm going to go see about getting a tracking spell."

* * *

_Rumplestiltskin had been having a good day. He had had a wonderful dinner at his home with Belle, followed by a little extravagant gift giving on his part. He had spent the entire day with her, and he treasured every moment in her presence. But he had left one of her gifts at his shop, so he had to make a quick run there in the late evening._

_It had been dark out, and the rain chilled him as he got out of his car, but he didn't have time to focus on that. He rummaged through his things with a determination like no other, as he didn't like keeping her waiting. Just as he found her gift and prepared to leave, he had heard a smashing sound coming from the side of his shop. He had opened the side door just to discover that a man was sitting in the front seat of his car. He had rushed over and ripped the stranger away, throwing him to the ground._

_"What do you think you're doing?" he had growled._

_The man turned towards him, and he got a good look at him. It was obvious that he had been in a fit, as he had bruises and dried blood covering his face, plus his nose looked slightly crooked. He was older, and his cheeks were somewhat hollow and pale. His hair was long and greasy, and it hung in his face at odd angles. His teeth were slight yellowed, and they were hidden under thin lips. He could tell that the man had once had a prime, but years of unkempt behavior had turned him into something almost repulsive. There was something in his eyes, though. They were deep, and the Dark One could tell that they had seen many things. And besides, they looked strangely familiar..._

_The man had paled even more, and his eyes had widened as he looked upon Rumple's face. There was something new in those familiar eyes...it almost appeared to be recognition. The man's lip started to slightly move as if they were trying to form a word. Rumple squinted his eyes and tried to read his lips, but with no success. He had given up when he heard the stranger whisper something the Dark One thought he would never hear again._

_"Papa."_

_Those eyes...he knew that he had seen them before. They were the last thing he saw as his son fell into a portal all those years ago. He had thought about those eyes every day since he had lost his boy. But his son was no longer a boy. He was a man, this man. And yet the eyes hadn't changed. While his son's face had morphed and his hair had grown, his eyes had stayed the same. He looked at his son and wasn't sure what to think. As he looked closer, there was something new in the eyes. It was obvious that the road his boy had traveled had been a tough one. His eyes reflected pain and sorrow. There was fear, regret, greed, and...pride? Even if it was a just a sliver, there was definitely pride. But above all, there was one thing in the eyes that troubled him more than anything. He saw a darkness in his son that hadn't existed before, a darkness that he never thought his son would be plagued by._

_He knelt down next to the trembling figure on the ground. He could barely speak, but he managed to force out his son's name. "Baelfire?" he asked, his voice trembling._

_"Yes, Papa. It's me."_

_Rumplestiltskin could feel tears pooling in his eyes. His son was here. He was reunited with his boy. "Oh, Bae. My son. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I left you." He reached his hand forward towards his son. Baelfire backed away, causing Rumple's hand to fall._

_He stood and brushed off his pants. He pointed at his father, a glare in his eyes. "I don't want to listen to your apologies. You ruined my life. You abandoned me when I needed you the most. There is nothing you can say to right this wrong." He picked his cigarette off of the ground and stuck it between his lips, taking a long drag._

_Rumple had stood, and he was desperately trying to hold himself together. "Please talk to me, son. I have rehearsed this moment in my head for more years than you could know. There's so much I need to say to you, Bae."_

_"I don't care. I'm not going to talk to you, so you can get that idea out of your head."_

_"Son, just hear me out. I was a coward, and I made the wrong choice. I have regretted that decision every second since I lost you."_

_He laughed. "You think that regret is true pain? You have no idea what I've experienced. Abandonment is the worst fate that can befall a person. I was fourteen and in a strange world. I had no idea how to take care of myself here. I had no idea what to do. And guess what? I was thrown into a system where I was a meal ticket. People treated me like I was the lowest of the low, and they were right. My father didn't even love me enough to stay with me. And do you know how I survived this world? I numbed myself of the pain. I didn't want to feel it anymore, so I made it go away. I became a bad guy, someone that I'm proud of. Because this version of me, the one that I swore I wouldn't become, was capable of feeling whole again. This version didn't let anything stop him. He did whatever he wanted, and nothing could hurt him. And I'm still that guy. I'm someone else entirely, and that someone doesn't care about you. I don't want anything to do with you. Now or ever again."_

_Rumple watched as his son turned and began to walk down the street. "Baelfire, wait!"_

_His son whirled around and stomped towards him. There was a fire in his eyes unlike anything the Dark One had seen before. "MY NAME IS NOT BAELFIRE! HE IS GONE, AND HE IS NEVER COMING BACK!" he roared._

_"Son, I-"_

_"I am done with you! I have more important things to worry about than reuniting with the father I've hated for years!"_

_"My boy, please, just...don't give up on me. I've been focused on getting you home since the moment you left. I'm not going to lose you, not again. You can try to run, but I will find you. I'm not going to let you go. You're stuck with me, son, because I'm never going to stop trying to make things right. And even if that never happens, I'm always going to protect you, and I'm always going to be here for you. I've learned the hard way what it's like to let down the person you love the most. And I promise, I am never going to let you down again. You come first, son. I'm going to spend the rest of my life putting you first."_

_His son looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. "Nothing you say can change what I went through."_

_"Then how about we start over? Right here, right now. We can start a new life, together."_

_"That's what I wanted when I was fourteen. And you broke that deal. You chose your powers over me, and I can never forgive you for that."_

_Rumple sighed. "I won't ever expect you to. How about instead of forgiveness, we start with tolerance?"_

_His son took another long drag of his cigarette before he looked up and into Rumple's eyes. "I guess we could start there," he mumbled. "I mean, I have been looking for you too. I've always hoped that you would try to find me."_

_"I created this curse because it was the only way to get to this land. All this was for you."_

_"You have to promise me something."_

_"Anything, son."_

_"You can't choose your magic over me. Ever. If it happens again, I won't ever speak to you again. I will leave for good, and I won't give you any more chances."_

_"Agreed," Rumplestiltskin said as he held his hand out. "Do we have a deal?"_

_"The deal has been struck," his son said as he shook his hand._

_Rumple gave his boy a small smile. "Son, may I ask what your name here is?"_

_"John. John Miller."_

* * *

Emma was curled up in a ball on her parents' bed as she tried to think about anything other than John. She still couldn't believe that he was actually here. She had pushed thoughts of him away for years, and yet suddenly he was the only thing she could think about. Every time she closed her eyes she could feel his hot breath on her skin, the cold barrel of the gun against her head, the smell of alcohol and tobacco overpowering her nose, and the rough grip of his calloused hands against her neck. It was as if she was transported back to that moment every few seconds, and there was nothing that she could do to avoid it. She heard his voice whispering threats and insults every time the room fell silent, and she saw the burning evil in his eyes everywhere she looked. This was a living nightmare, and it was significantly worse than anything she had experienced before.

Snow was sitting on the bed next to her daughter as she watched the blonde. She wasn't about to leave Emma alone, not after everything that had happened. She could see the internal battle with her memories that her daughter was constantly experiencing, and it broke her heart. She wished she could take all of her little girl's pain away, and she wished that she could protect her baby from this agony. And yet her fate was too cruel. All she could do was sit here and run her fingers through blonde curls as she whispered loving words. She didn't even know if her daughter was aware of her presence. But that didn't matter to the brunette, because nothing could have made her leave.

She noticed that Emma had gripped the edge of the sheets, and that her hold on them was so tight her knuckles were white. She reached over and grasped her daughter's fingers, causing the blonde to turn towards her mother.

"Why are you still here?" Emma whispered so quietly that Snow could barely hear it.

"I promised you that I wouldn't leave you ever again, and I'm not about to break that promise."

"Even after everything that I've done?"

"You're still perfect in my eyes, Emma, and don't even try to argue," Snow told her, offering her daughter a small smile.

The blonde returned the gesture, but her eyes were still full of fear and sorrow. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How do you make the bad memories go away?"

Snow paused for a moment as she thought about her answer. She brushed some hair out of Emma's face as she sighed. "I have asked myself that question since I got my memories back. There are some things that I had forgotten that I never wanted to revisit, and now they're fresh in my head. I haven't been able to get rid of the bad memories, but I have learned how to block them out."

"And how do you do that?"

The brunette smiled. "Whenever a bad memory threatens to take over my mind, I think about you. I think about your father. I think about Henry. I think about our family and how much I love each of you. And that is enough to block out any bad memory."

"Every time I think about Henry, I think about his father," Emma admitted, her voice small.

"Henry is nothing like that man. Your son is a wonderful, loving, caring boy who always puts others first. He is more of a man than his father could ever dream of being. I am proud to call Henry my grandson." Tears pooled in Emma's eyes, but Snow quickly brushed them away.

"He doesn't deserve the right to call Henry his son, not after what he did."

"We are never going to give him that opportunity. He is never going to know about Henry, and Henry is never going to know about him. I promise that I will do everything in my power to protect your son from the knowledge about his father."

"Thank you."

"Sweetheart, how do you plan on taking care of this? I mean, we can't just ignore that he's here, so we need to figure out what the plan is."

Emma sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I just...I don't know what to do anymore. I want to make him suffer, but at the same time, I just want him gone." She pulled her knees to her chest and slowly rocked back and forth. "But at the end of the day, I think I just want to talk to him. I want him to understand how he ruined my life. I want him to know about what I've gone through, and how his actions have caused me indescribable pain. I want to yell at him and make him hurt the way I did for so long."

"Well, I think that is a good way to face the problem. And I think it will be good for you to get all of these stored up emotions out in the open. You still have walls up because of this, and I think they will only be able to come down if you finally get closure about what happened."

"I kind of want to go to the station. I need to be distracted from my thoughts for a while."

Snow nodded. "I think that's a good idea. Do you want me to come?"

Emma nodded. "I'm not ready to be alone just yet."

The brunette offered her daughter a smile. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

James walked towards the pawn shop as quickly as he could. He was driven completely by the motivation to find his daughter's tormenter. After all, he wanted to give the guy a piece of his mind. The prince wasn't sure why he automatically decided to seek magical help with the problem, but he had a good feeling about this solution. Despite the fact that Rumplestiltskin couldn't be trusted, the imp would never pass up a business opportunity, especially one to do with the Savior.

The little bell rang as he pushed the door open. He didn't even bother to check if the shop was open or not. The prince walked up to the counter as his head swiveled, looking for the Dark One. "Rumplestiltskin? I'm here to make a deal."

A thick velvet curtain was pushed back, and the imp strolled into the main area of his shop. "I'm not really in the mood to make a deal with you, dearie."

"Too bad. I need a tracking spell, like the one you put on Snow's ring."

"You already owe me one favor, are you sure that you want to owe me something else?"

"Look, there's someone I need to find, and I need to find him as quickly as possible. I don't have time to play these games with you."

"And yet people blame me when they find themselves locked in a deal that they weren't aware of making," he said with a smirk.

"What's your price?"

"I need strands of hair from you, your wife, and your daughter."

"What for?" James asked, his tone defensive.

"That's my business. Now, that is my price, and it's your choice what you want to do next, dearie."

"Deal," the prince said with a small sigh.

"Excellent," he mumbled as he opened a leather case. There were various bottles containing potions and ingredients, and he quickly picked three of the glass vials. He was not about to tell the prince why he needed the strands of hair. The Charmings were a key ingredient to bottling true love, and adding some of Emma's DNA to the original concoction was going to make it even more powerful. "So, who is it that you're looking for?" he asked as he mixed a potion together. Sometimes his curiosity got the better of him.

James raised his eyebrow. It was very unlike the imp to be making small talk. "There's a stranger here in town, and we took him into custody last night. He managed to escape, and I need to speak with him before he leaves town."

The Dark One froze for a moment. He wondered if the prince was talking about Bae. The timing certainly lined up. And Bae had been trying to leave. He wondered what business Charming had with his son, but Rumple didn't like the sound of this one bit.

Just as he was about to say something to James, the curtain parted and his son walked out of the office. "Do you still have my-" John started when he saw the prince. His eyes widened upon recognition.

James had not expected to run into John at all, let alone in the pawn shop. Plus, the stranger seemed to know Rumplestiltskin relatively well, and that was never a good thing. But what made his blood boil even more was the fact that he now knew the truth about the man in front of him. The prince knew all about the monster that stood before him. This excuse for a man had dared to lay a finger on his daughter, and this guy had hurt his precious little girl. Nothing could anger James more.

His fingers clenched into fists as he threw himself at John. He swung his arm wildly, hoping to contact with the other man's flesh. He wasn't able to actually hit the other man, as a sudden force threw him towards the door. His back slammed into a shelf and he groaned as he slid to the floor, random objects falling on top of him. His vision became fuzzy, and he could feel his lungs struggling to breathe.

"Do. Not. Touch. My. Son," Rumplestiltskin spat at James. His eyes were dark, and they burned with the fire of a parent protecting their child.

"I can fight my own battles," John whispered as he glared at his father. "I don't need you to protect me."

"He's YOUR son?" James asked, his eyes wide. He had managed to stand back up, and he took a small step towards the other two men. "All this time...you've been looking for HIM?"

"Yes, he is. And you just attacked him. I would suggest, dearie, that you get out of my shop before I really get angry."

"He attacked one of the deputies and broke out of his cell last night. He needs to answer to the law."

Rumple raised an eyebrow. "But that's not all, is it? You're hiding something, I can tell. What's the real reason for you to find my son?"

"He needs to answer to me for what he did," James growled.

"He isn't going to answer to you, because you owe me a favor, and I'm cashing it in. You're going to leave my son alone, and if you don't, I'll see to it that Emma repays my favor instead of you, and I know you don't want that."

John's eyes widened. "You know Emma?" he inquired of his father.

The Dark One turned to his son. "YOU know Emma?"

James scoffed. "He knows her VERY well, now don't you John?" he sneered.

"I said leave him alone-"

"NO!" the prince roared. "He does not get to walk free! He ruined her life, and I will not let that stand! He has to face the consequences of hurting her! I will give up my life before I let anyone get away with hurting my daughter!" James trembled as he spoke, his anger taking complete control of him. His eyes were black and his words were like venom.

John felt his mouth go dry, and he could barely speak. "Wait, you're Emma's father? How is that even possible?"

"I sent her here to protect her from the curse. I took her out of my wife's arms moments after her birth and sent her to this land alone. My wife and I gave up everything so that we could protect our daughter. And now I discover that while I was frozen in time and unable to be there for her, you came along, and you did indescribable damage. You have no idea how much I hate you. Her mother and I did everything we could to make it possible for her to have her best chance, and yet, you destroyed all of our hard work. And you don't even seem like you're sorry. You act as if it isn't a big deal and that what happened doesn't matter, but guess what: it does. I'm here now, and you have to answer to me. It time for you to finally own up to what you did, and it's time for you to pay your price," James whispered, his tone chilling and menacing.

Rumplestiltskin looked at his son, who had paled to the point where he was practically a ghost. "Son, what did you do to her?"

John had started to shake as sweat droplets gathered on his forehead. He believed this man completely, meaning that he was now facing Emma's father. She had been an abandoned orphan when he took advantage of her, probably the main reason why he chose her. He always went after the ones who he wouldn't have to face ever again. The girls who had no one else to turn to. But now Emma did, and it was his turn to finally face one of the many skeletons in his closet. He was a terrible man. Deep down he was ashamed of the person that he had become, because he still remembered the innocent little boy that he once was. He wished that he could go back and rewrite the past. He wouldn't have made all the mistakes that he had. He wouldn't have given in to his own dark side. But he couldn't go back, and he could only think about the future, and he didn't want to put in the effort to change. Maybe he could use the protection of his father to his advantage.

John shook his head, causing James to narrow his eyes. "Of course he won't own up to his actions against my daughter. You know what, I'm done talking. It's time for you to come with me to the station."

The Dark One stepped forward and pushed his son behind him. "He's not going anywhere with you, Charming. Remember my favor: you stay away from my son."

"You can't expect me to just-"

"I'll also throw in a tidbit of information that affects your family directly, free of charge. All you have to do is forget about my son."

The prince paused and raised his eyebrow as if he was testing the imp. "That doesn't even compare to the punishment he deserves."

"Oh, it sure does, dearie. Because you walk out of her knowing that my son is in my protection, and that our good friend Regina poisoned your wife years ago, making it impossible for her to bear a child."

"WHAT?"

"I never said that I would answer questions, dearie. That's all that you will get from me. Now, leave my shop before I have to force you to, and believe me when I say that you don't want to stick around to discover how far I will go."

"You can't just tell me something like that without giving me some answers!"

"I'm not giving you any answers until you agree fulfill your end of our bargain. A bargain which you made to protect your own child, which is exactly what I'm doing. I don't think it's too hard to understand." Rumple smirked as he saw the conflict in the prince's eyes. "Now, if you don't intend to keep your end of the deal get out of my sop before I get angry."

James had no idea what to do. He wanted to make John pay for all the pain that he had caused their family. He wanted to make that man endure all the hurt that Emma had. He was her father, and it was his duty to make sure no one would hurt her. But since he hadn't been there, it was his job to make up for lost time. On the other hand, he did owe the imp. This would wipe the slate clean. And he needed that information about his wife. That was something that affected a large portion of their lives, and he couldn't ignore it. He had a responsibility to protect his entire family, and yet he was torn in too many directions. He had to make a decision, and he prayed that he was making the right one.

"I...can agree to it. On one condition, however. He needs to stay away from her. The second he tries to involve himself in her life, our deal is void, and I will come after him. I can guarantee that."

Rumplestiltskin nodded. He looked over at his son, who silently agree to the prince's terms with his own nod. "It's a deal, dearie."

"Tell me what you know about Snow." James wasn't about to waste any more time.

"Regina was being obnoxious as usual, as she bragged about being the reason you lost another child. She had a servant slip poison into your wife's drink one night shortly after your wedding. It made it impossible for her to have children. That is, without help from yours truly. That's all I know."

James gave a short nod indicating his understanding. He shot a glare at John before he turned and quickly exited the shop. His mind was swimming with this information about his wife, and he knew that he needed to hurry home to inform her of this. At the same time, however, he couldn't stop thinking about Rumplestiltskin and his son. He would figure out another way to make that man pay, as he was the only one who had agreed to stay away. Nothing was stopping anyone else. He felt a smile shape his lips as he walked down the street. He loved finding loopholes in deals with Rumplestiltskin. It wasn't always easy, but it almost always paid off in the end. All he had to do was send someone after the excuse for a man, and he would have had his work completed.

* * *

August stood at one of the desks in the station as he held his cell phone to his ear. He had a map of Storybrooke on the desk and he was quickly making notes on it as he listened to the reports coming from Grumpy. So far they hadn't been able to locate John, much to his frustration. He was greatly concerned that he had already left town. It was imperative that they track that man town as soon as possible.

He heard the door to the station open and he heard two people walk in. He turned, and he felt his mouth widen into a smile when he locked eyes with Emma. It was now a natural reaction whenever he saw the blonde. He ended his call and set his phone down. She headed towards him, and he pulled her into a hug. He knew that she would probably be wary of showing a large amount of affection in public, especially in front of her mother. He was absolutely thrilled when he felt her grip tighten around him, and she buried her head in his neck. He had promised that he would always be there for her, and he was glad that she was finally giving him that chance.

"How are you?" he whispered.

"I don't know. I just...I don't know what to think anymore...I can't..."

"It's okay, you don't have to have to explain yourself. I'm here for you no matter what, okay?" She nodded, and he kissed her forehead. "So, not a big deal, but what are you doing here?"

"I needed to clear my head and distract myself. Plus I am debating on whether or not I want to talk to him."

He pulled away and sighed. "I thought your father had told you what happened. He's...currently missing. He escaped last night and we have a search party looking for him."

Emma felt the blood drain from her face. "He's a runner. If you haven't caught him already, he's probably out of town by now."

"We aren't sure. His car is still here, and there haven't been any stolen vehicles. Also, Thomas reported that he seemed to be going through some minor withdrawal symptoms. He took his cigarettes and drugs with him as well. If he did indulge himself last night, hopefully he wouldn't be able to navigate very well while he was high."

She shook her head. "You have no idea what he is capable of when he is high. I bet you anything that he's gone."

James burst into the station at that moment. He locked gazes with his wife, and he seemed to relax a little. "I was worried when I got back to the apartment and you two weren't there. I'm glad you're here."

"Where have you been?" Emma asked.

"I went to see Rumplestiltskin to get a tracking spell."

"James," Snow said with a sigh. "Why?"

"We can discuss that later. What I discovered there was far more important than why I went there. John is Rumplestiltskin's son, the one that he lost all of those years ago."

There was a collective gasp as everyone was completely shocked by the revelation. "You have got to be kidding me," Emma said under her breath.

"I wish I was. There's more. He cashed in the favor that I owe him. He made me agree to leave his son alone. I can't make any aggressive moves towards him, or he's going to make you fulfill his deal, Emma. I couldn't refuse, him. It's more important to keep you safe."

The blonde rubbed her temples. "So now what do we do? He gets away scotch free, once again."

"Not quite. I'm the only one who promised to keep my distance, so others could bring him in so that he can be dealt with."

"I'm sheriff. And I want him taken back into custody. I'll do it myself if I have to. Actually, that would be pretty enjoyable." She turned to August. "We should go down to the pawn shop and arrest him. We can say it's for possession of illegal substances," she said with a snort as she thought about how she was arrested all those years ago. "In reality I just want to talk to him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea Emma?" James inquired, his voice soft.

"I need closure after what happened. And besides, if he's cuffed to the table and you guys are here, then he's not much of a threat."

"Let me talk to him first," Snow said. "I have a few things that I would like to say to him, since your father can't."

Emma thought about it for a moment and then sighed. "Okay. I can agree to that. August and I will go pick him up and bring him here."

"Okay. Be careful. We'll be waiting," the brunette told her. The blonde nodded as she gave her mother a quick smile. August grabbed Emma's hand and they left the station, leaving Snow and James alone. They stood there for a moment as they each were lost in their own thoughts. She looked at her husband and she saw something in his eyes, causing her to raise her eyebrow. "James, what's wrong?"

He looked up at her and sighed. "Rumplestiltskin told me something...something about you."

"About me? What could he possibly know about me?"

He reached forward and grasped her hands. "He said that Regina visited him and confessed something. Something she had done to you." The prince took a deep breath. "He said that she was boasting about poisoning you using one of our servants. She slipped you poison that made it impossible for you to bear a child."

Snow was silent for a moment as the information sunk in. Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach as her eyes grew wide. "So...when we lost her...and the two before...that was because of Regina?" James gave her a small nod, and her eyes filled with tears. "I hate her."

"Snow-"

"She has taken EVERYTHING from me! She took Emma away by casting the curse, and she took three of my children away from me. I don't care what she does to me, but she will not get away with harming my children. That will NOT stand!" She could feel tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't care. She was so consumed with her anger towards Regina that she was barely aware of her surroundings anymore.

James grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. He could feel her shaking, and he held her close. "I know, sweetheart. She will pay. I promise you that. I will not let her get away with harming my family," he whispered, his tone full of determination and desire for vengeance. He was going to get revenge someday, but for right now, he was just going to be here for his wife. He kissed the top of her head as she started to calm down, and he felt her melt into his grip.

"I just want our happy ending."

"I know that we will be happy someday. I have faith that we can finally overcome the trials in in our lives, and that we can one day live peacefully as a family. I am sure of it. You know why? Because believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

She laughed, causing him to raise his eyebrow. "James, I said that exact same thing to our daughter the first time I met her."

He smiled. "That's because you know that it's true."

"I do. And even though it's going to be a tough road to travel, I know that we will fight for our happiness, because that's just what we do."

"We fight for what we love, and we do it together," he stated.

**So, a lot happened in that chapter, but there is even more in store! I have started the next chapter, and I can say that, once again, there will be some drama. Let's be honest, we all love the angst :)**

**I said that a major plot twist was coming...I have it written out, but I'm not 100% sure when it will appear. You have been warned :)**

**Don't be afraid to message me! I would love to discuss the show and hand out a few sneak peeks...**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	34. Chapter 34

**So I had a long bus ride last weekend, resulting in a new chapter! **

**Thanks to ladywolf101 for being a great beta...you're the best!**

**Enjoy!**

There was something incredibly calming about walking hand-in-hand with August towards the car. He had become a sort of rock for her, and she had no idea why she had ever wanted to hide their relationship. He was always there for her, especially when she needed it the most. And now was one of those times.

He only let go of her hand while he drove to the pawn shop. He had a million questions running through his head, but he wasn't going to push Emma into sharing. He knew that one day she would completely open up, and when that day came, he was going to be ready.

As he parked the car, he heard her sigh. She looked over at him and her gaze lingered on his jaw. "I did that, didn't I?" she asked as she gestured towards a bruise on the left side of his face.

He ran his fingers across it and gave a small nod. "Don't worry about it. I should have known better than to jump in the middle of a fight involving you. I would have been more surprised if I hadn't gotten battle scars."

She smile, but there was still sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

"Emma, it's okay. I understand."

"No you don't. You're just saying that because you don't want to push me away by asking me to be open with you."

He chuckled. "You know me too well, Swan." She couldn't help but laugh, and the sound made him feel slightly better. "You know, I would like to understand. One day."

"How come it's so easy with you? It took my parents ages to get me to share my feelings, and yet with you there isn't anything that I want to hold back."

He reached towards her and cupped her cheeks in his hands. He pulled her towards him and gently placed a kiss on her lips. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her gorgeous eyes. "It's because I am so incredibly in love with you, Emma. And I think that you love me too."

She couldn't help but smile. "I do. I love you too."

"Good. Now, why don't we get this taken care of so that we can put it behind us, okay?"

"August?"

"Yes?"

"He's Henry's father. John is. And I don't want Henry to ever find out, because his father has done some horrible things."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well this makes everything way more complicated," he said with a small chuckle. "I guess now I understand why you reacted the way you did."

"Good," she stated with a sigh of her own. "Well, now that I've made this incredibly awkward, why don't we get this over with."

He couldn't help but laugh as he climbed out of the car. "You could never make anything awkward around me. I don't get awkward," he joked with a small wink.

She smiled as he pulled open the door of the pawn shop. He always made any situation feel more relaxed and comfortable, something that she desperately needed in her crazy life. Especially now. She still had no idea what she wanted to say to John, just that she wanted to speak to him. She was slightly nervous about this confrontation that was destined to take place, but she felt much calmer knowing that she had August and her parents supporting her.

Rumplestiltskin walked to the front of the shop as soon as he heard his bell ring. "I swear, that 'Closed' sign doesn't do me any good."

"We are here for your son. We need to take him to the station to ask him a few questions," August told the other man. "If he doesn't come quietly with us now, he'll have charges of avoidance of justice as well, and we wouldn't want things to be even more complicated than they already are."

"What charges do I have right now?" John asked as he stepped out of his father's office.

"Possession of illegal substances, and running from the law. We are willing to be lenient if you cooperate and come with us. We just need to ask you a few questions," the puppet stated as he folded his arms across his chest.

John figured that he had a few options. He could willingly go with them and face his charges, or he could run. He didn't know if he wanted to run, but he was positive that he didn't want to come to terms with his past, especially not the blonde who was standing behind the deputy. He ran his fingers through his hair casually as he weighed the pros and cons of each option.

With a sigh, he bolted towards the door. He shoved a few objects off of a nearby counter and into the path of the deputy. He heard a crash as the man stumbled, and he figured that he had enough time to make it out of the shop. He wasn't counting on Emma suddenly popping out of the shadows and directly into his path. She acted fast and threw her fist out so that it hit him in the jaw. As his head swung to the side, she placed her hand at the base of his neck and pushed, causing him to fall to the ground. She rested all of her weight on him as she yanked his arms behind his back. He felt the cool metal of handcuffs encircle his wrists, and he realized that she had actually gotten the best of him. He would have been lying if he had said that he wasn't impressed.

"There is an easy and a hard way to do this, and it would have been nice if you had picked the easy route. Now, let's get you to the station. We still have a few questions for you," August stated as he pulled John to his feet.

"Well, he will have a lawyer present," Rumple quipped as he mimicked August's pose. He hadn't had enough time to respond to his son trying to run, or else he would have intervened. He was disappointed that Bae tried to escape his charges, but he figured that he hadn't set the best example for his son. Despite the fact that he had let the blonde take his son into custody, (maybe it was for the best, Bae did seem like he was troubled) he was still going to stand by his son. "Did you really think that I would let you question my son without me there?"

"Papa, it's fine. I can handle him," John mumbled as he pulled against his cuffs slightly.

"I'm still coming as your legal representative."

"Or maybe I'll just call you if I do need a lawyer. Really, Papa, I'll be fine on my own," he told his father. He hoped that he would be able to go alone. He really wanted to keep this as simple as it could possibly be, and his father would just make everything complicated. Especially since he still had a lot of anger towards his father. Even though they had just been reunited, that didn't that he had completely forgotten about everything he had gone through. He didn't really need his papa to protect him. Besides, he had handled legal issues before, and he knew how to properly represent himself. His father really had no need to worry, especially now that Emma's father couldn't come near him.

Rumplestiltskin knew he had lost this battle, so he forced out a smile. "Alright then. Whatever you want, son."

"Okay then. I'll see you later."

August grasped John's arm and began to tug him towards the door. "Things would have been a lot easier if you hadn't tried to run. You're just making things worse for yourself."

"You can tell me that all that you want, but we both knew that it was inevitable. I'm a runner, and this is what I do. So don't act all surprised at the fact that I didn't want to be hauled off. And there is something that you need to remember: I don't actually care about any of this. I've been in this position before, it's not really a big deal. So you can stop playing all of these stupid games with me so that we can get this over with."

Emma rolled her eyes as she listened to his big 'speech' or whatever he wanted to call it. She thought it was ridiculous that he didn't care about his legal problems, but she wasn't surprised. He never had before, and he wasn't the type of guy that liked to change. Emma still hadn't said anything, and she hadn't made eye contact with John yet. She had paid close attention to the conversation, but she couldn't find her voice. This was all still surreal to her, and she doubted if she was really ready to confront him. She led the way out of the shop, and she even held the door of the car open while he was slightly pushed into the back seat. They still said nothing to one another, not that she really minded.

* * *

John sat patiently in the interrogation room as he waited for someone to come talk to him. He let his hands hang limp in the cuffs, and his wrists were starting to feel raw. He would have stretched, but being chained to the table kept him in place. He observed the small room, noticing the metal cabinet behind him and the 'mirror' facing him. He had been in this position enough times to know that pretty much every mirror in a police station was two-way. Not that he minded. The things didn't really bother him, for reasons even he didn't know. He just wasn't made uncomfortable by their presence.

His jaw was killing him. He had taken way to many punches there in the past day, and he could feel it starting to swell. It ached every time he opened his mouth, and he knew that answering questions was going to be the cherry on top of a wonderful day.

A door opened, and he expected to see the deputy from before. He was surprised, however, when a petite brunette with a pixie cut entered the room. He stared at her for a moment before his mouth dropped open in shock. She looked exactly like Emma. In fact, it was creepy how similar the two women were. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as she moved to stand across the table from him. Judging from the icy glare that seemed to penetrate deep into his very soul, this woman was probably Emma's mother. The idea was still strange to him, even though his father had explained how it was possible.

"So, you're the one who gets to do the honors?" he asked as he tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrow. He cursed himself, as this was not the time for his cocky part to shine through.

"So, you're the one who raped my daughter?" the woman shot back. Her tone was cold, and yet innocent at the same time. Her appearance made her seem like a harmless woman, and yet her eyes were black and had a murderous glint. It was terrifying.

"You make it sound so vile and disgusting-"

"That's because it is, you monster!" she exclaimed. "You have no right to be able to sit there and act like you did nothing wrong. You make me sick!"

He yawned. "Are you done?" He internally cursed himself again. He really needed to stop, because he knew that this woman was moments away from strangling him. But this was just his personality, and he was struggling to keep it reined in.

Just as he suspected, she looked as if she was about to snap. Her fingers curled into fists and her mouth morphed into a snarl. "Do. Not. Ever. Speak. To. Me. Like. That. Again."

He held up his hands as high as he could. "Okay, okay. Calm down, lady." Geez, something was wrong with him.

She slapped his face as hard as he could. To be fair, he knew that he deserved it. "You have a lot of nerve to look me in the eye and tell me to be calm! You defiled my daughter! You treated her like she was trash! Do you know what that makes me want to do to you? I want to KILL you! I want to make you suffer the way she had to suffer! I want to make you feel every ounce of pain that she was forced to endure! You don't even deserve to be called a man after what you did. You are more like a piece of filth. You are the lowest of the low, and you do not have any right to be treated anyway else."

He couldn't look at her while she spoke. His face stung, but he tried not to think about it. Deep down he knew that everything she was saying was right, but he had spent so much time justifying his actions that it was hard for him to accept the truth. "That was twelve years ago. Why do you care so much now? You weren't there to protect her all those years ago."

"I don't have to defend my decisions as a parent to you. You don't understand what it means to put your child first. I sent her here so that she wouldn't be cursed or killed. And now that I've been reunited with her after twenty-eight years, I find out that this world did to treat her good. And I found out that there is one person who I can blame for a lot of the misery she has lived with. You. I've always cared about her, and I always will. I'm here for her now, and it's time for me to finally right some of the wrongs in her life. It's time for me to pick up the pieces, starting with you."

"Are you going to kill me?"

She folded her arms across her chest. "I haven't decided yet. Emma wants to talk to you, and depending on how that goes, I'll make my decision. If she wants you out of her life for good, then believe me, I'll be more than happy to grant that wish."

"You'll actually let me be alone with her after everything?"

She gestured to the mirror. "I'll be watching." She placed both palms on the table and leaned in so that their faces were only faces apart. "If you do anything to hurt her, I will kill you, whether or not Emma wishes it. You need to be careful, John. Because you aren't dealing with just her anymore. You are messing with a mother who will do anything to protect her daughter. You have no idea what I'm capable of when it comes to defending my family."

He gulped as his eyes grew wide. She stared at him for a few seconds before she turned on her heel and headed out of the door. Once she was gone, he let out a breath that he wasn't aware that he had been holding. He was a pretty fearless guy, and yet that woman had scared him more than he could describe.

His thoughts were interrupted when someone cleared their throat. He looked up and was started to see Emma. He hadn't even heard her come in. He had no idea what he was going to say to her.

"Emma, I-"

She held up her hand. "Don't say anything." She sighed. "I don't even know where to start. I have been picturing this moment for years, and yet, I don't even know what to say."

"Emma-"

"Please, just don't. Do you know what I went through because of you? Because of your actions, I ended up in jail for almost a year. Because of your actions, I became worthless. No one wants to be with someone who has been defiled. I was filth to others. All because you made a decision to take something from me that cannot be replaced. So I guys that at the end of the day, I just want to know why. Why did you do that to me? Why did you throw our life together away? Why was I not good enough for you? Why?"

"I don't know why I did it. It's just who I am. I'm a bad guy. That life is the only thing that numbed the pain of being abandoned. It's the only thing that made me forget. I was just trying to find a way to feel whole again, but instead I just felt more and more empty. And then I met you. That first night, I intended to take you home and be done with you after that. But there was something different about you. There was something special. You made me feel as if I had a home once more. But I was too attached to my lifestyle. I let things get in the way of our happiness. And I got this idea in my head that you were going to leave me too. So I made one of the worst decisions of my life. I got what I had wanted in the first place. And then I sent you out of my life for good. And since then, I've just gotten worse. I just don't know what to do anymore. Now I'm here with my father, and I can't forgive him. But I want to make amends with him, and despite the fact that it doesn't seem like it, I want to make amends with you too."

"I can tell when people are lying to me, and you are. You don't care about making amends. You're just saying that to make me let my guard down so that you can get away without having to answer for your actions. "

He chuckled. "I can never best you, Emma."

She glared at him for a moment before she sighed. "So here's how it's going to go: I'm going to release you. Mainly because I don't feel like seeing your face every time I go to work. But I want you out of my life for good. You can stay here in Storybrooke, but I don't want our paths to cross again. I don't want to ever talk to you, and I don't want anything to do with you. And believe me, if you try to come near me, I have three people willing to do anything to make me happy. And my happy ending has nothing to do with you." She unlocked his handcuffs, and he stood. "You have one chance, John. Use it to become a good person."

He was stunned as she left the room. He had not expected that from her. He honestly thought that she was going to kill him. He deserved it. But she saw something good in him, he could tell. He had never thought that he could be a good person again. He had chosen to change when he came to this world. But being around people from home, it made him want to go back to the person he used to be. He didn't want to be John anymore. Maybe he would use this second chance to go back to Baelfire.

He doubted that it would actually work, but it was worth a try.

* * *

August had been shocked by Emma's decision regarding John, but he supported her anyways. He knew that she had a good reason for everything that she did, and he didn't question her. He was even more surprised when she asked him to take a walk with her.

They strolled down the street together, his hand intertwined with hers. They were silent as they walked, but he could tell that she was busy thinking. He wondered what was going on inside her head, but he wasn't going to push her to be open with him.

"We need to tell Henry about us," she blurted out after a few moments.

He turned to her. After such an emotionally exhausting day, he was surprised that she was actively thinking about moving their relationship even further. "Whenever you want."

"How about you come with me to pick him up from school? We can tell him together."

"I'd love that," he told her with a smile. She returned the gesture, and they continued walking. "Why did you let him go?" he asked after a while.

She sighed. "I don't know...I guess I just know him too well. He's not going to change just because he is paying the price for his actions. He doesn't care about things like that, he never has and he never will. He wronged me twelve years ago, and I'm surprised that he even remembers what happened. I guess I just don't want to waste my time with him anymore. He use makes everything so difficult, and I really just want to move on with my life. The more I think about him, the more miserable I will be."

August nodded as she spoke, then stopped walking as she finished. He grabbed her other hand and turned her so that she was facing him. "Emma, it's my job to make you happy. If there is anything I can do for you, just say the word."

The corners of her mouth upturned. "Love me."

"What?"

"That's what I need you to do. Love me."

At that he broke into a grin. "Swan, your wish is my command." He pulled her to him and their lips met. Her arms encircled his neck, and his hands were locked around her back. They stood there and kissed in the street for what felt like an eternity. They got some strange looks from passerbys, but neither of them cared.

* * *

James closed the door of the apartment behind him. He noticed that his wife had already hung her coat up and was now sitting on the couch. She was leaning forward with her head in her hands, and as he looked closer, he could see that she was shaking. He quickly walked to the living room and knelt in front of her.

"Snow, what is it?"

"She...she...she killed them, James. She killed my babies," she choked out as she started to give into her sobs.

He sat next to her and pulled her to his chest. "I know. And not a second goes by that I don't hate her for it."

"I spared her life all those years ago. If I hadn't..."

"You made the right choice then. You aren't a killer. You wouldn't have been able to live with yourself if we had gone through with her execution."

"What am I supposed to do? I can't handle this on top of everything that's going on. It's like we never get to just live our lives in peace. There's always something. And right now it seems like all the odds are against our happy ending."

"Look at me," he said as he tilted her chin up. "You don't have to handle all of this on your own, because I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. We are going to get through this, and we are going to do it together."

She gripped the fabric of his shirt and nestled her head under his chin. She felt his fingers run through her hair and rest at the base of her neck. He cradled her against him, and she sighed. There wasn't anything that she could do right now, so she was content with being comforted by her husband.

The door to the apartment opened and Henry walked in, with Emma and August trailing behind him.

"So, does this mean that you're kinda like my dad now?" Henry asked as he hung up his jacket.

August smiled. "Yeah, if Emma wants it that way, and you're okay with it, I'll be your dad."

The boy turned to his mother. "Can he be my dad? Please?"

The blonde laughed. "He sure can." She chuckled as Henry's face kit up and he high-fived August. She went to go sit in the living room when she noticed her parents on the couch. She raised her eyebrow as he locked eyes with her father, but he just shook his head. She rolled her eyes and walked over to them. "What's going on?"

Snow looked up and wiped some of her tears away. "Don't worry about it."

"I haven't seen you this distraught since...the incident," she stated, not wanting to bring up what had happened months ago. Her mother was already upset, and she didn't need to be reminded about her lost child. "What made you so upset?"

"It's something that involves your father and me. Please don't be concerned, okay?"

The blonde ran her fingers through her loose curls. "You know that's impossible, right?"

James sighed. "We can talk about it later, just the three of us," he told her. She looked back towards Henry and August, understanding becoming visible on her face.

Emma nodded and headed towards the kitchen. She pulled August to the side and gave him a small smile. "Would you mind taking Henry to dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to, but why?"

"You two should really start bonding." He raised his eyebrow, and she sighed. She couldn't fool him. "I need to take care of a few things here with my parents. Plus I think you two should bond," she added, causing him chuckle.

"Okay. Do you mind if I take him to my father's and show him around the workshop?"

She grinned. "And that is why I love you, Booth, because you're perfectly suited to be a father for Henry." She gave him a light peck. "Call me when you two are headed home, okay?"

"Will do." He walked over to Henry, and she watched as her boyfriend interacted with her son. She had thought about Henry the entire time that she had pursued August, because she couldn't just think about herself. She wanted a stable life for Henry, and she wanted him to have a good father in his life. She knew that August would perfectly fit into that role in her life. A smile shaped her face as they left the apartment, mainly because the image was s right in her eyes.

She felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and she turned to find her father standing behind her. "He fits well into the family."

"That's one reason I picked him." His arm encircled her shoulder, and she leaned against him. "This has been an exhausting day."

"That's true. I feel like it keeps getting worse by the minute."

"Just yesterday I was eating ice cream at Granny's with my son, and everything was normal. Well, as normal as it can be in this town."

"Who knew one person could cause such a disruption in our lives?"

"And yet, that's not the only thing that's going on, is it?"

James rubbed the back of his neck as he looked over at his wife. She was still sitting there, looking off into space. He could tell that she was deep in thought, and she looked so incredibly sad. He hated that look in her eyes. It made him miserable.

"Emma..."

"Please don't sugarcoat things. I'm a part of this family, and I deserve to know what's going on. I can't help if you keep me in the dark."

"Emma, we're the parents, and it's our job to take care of things. We are supposed to make sure that you don't have to help make things better."

"I'm not a little kid anymore, so please don't treat me like one. What is going on?"

"Regina poisoned me."

Emma and James both spun around so that they were looking right at Snow. They hadn't heard her get up, and they hadn't noticed that she had been actively engaged in their conversation.

The blonde's eyes grew large and her mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?" she questioned, earning a small nod from her parents. "When? How? What kind of poison?"

"She had a servant slip me poison shortly after your father and I were married. It waits to attack me while I'm pregnant and makes it impossible for the child to be born. It's designed so that the loss will affect me the most, after a child already exists. That way, I have more torn from me, and my suffering is far greater."

"But I was...Rumplestiltskin gave you something that prevents Regina's poison from working," Emma said as she put together pieces of the puzzle that was this situation.

"Yes. I don't know what she gave me, but apparently Rumplestiltskin was able to stop it temporarily. Unfortunately, I'm still infected with it."

"So, you're telling me that she has been killing my siblings for years?" Emma only had to look at the expressions of grief on her parents' faces for confirmation. "That murderer. How dare she. How dare that psychotic, evil, witch hurt you like that. She has a lot of nerve, messing with my family." She felt her fingers curl into tight fists as she started to quiver with anger. Her face felt hot, and she felt sweat gather in beads on her forehead. Her vision was blurred, and all sounds were muted. Her pulse was racing, and she was taking quick and shallow breaths.

"Emma, calm down," James said as he inched towards her. He rested his fingers on her forearm, only to discover that she was burning up. He grasped her shoulders and gave her a light shake. He felt like he had been in this position way too much today. "Emma."

She didn't respond to her father, so Snow stepped in. She placed her palms on her daughter's cheeks and looked into her blue eyes. "Sweetheart, look at me. You need to calm down." Emma's eyes focused on her mother's, and her breathing started to slow. "That's it. Calm down, baby girl."

After a few moments, Emma had snapped out of it. She started to relax, never looking away from Snow. She found her mother to be very calming and comforting, and soon she was back to normal. She took a few really deep breaths before she finally stepped away. "I'm...I'm going to go take a nap. I just can't deal with all of this right now."

"I think it would be best if we all did that. This day has been an emotional rollercoaster, and we all need to unwind a bit," James stated.

As the blonde headed upstairs, he grasped his wife's hand and led her to their room. They collapsed on the bed, and she instantly rested her head on his chest. He traced circles on her back as he felt her breathing start to slow.

"Why does she get so worked up like that?" Snow whispered all of a sudden.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I've never seen someone respond so significantly to their emotions. It's as if she can't control it."

"I bet you anything that she has magic."

His eyes grew wide. "But neither of us have magic..."

"She's made of true love, which is the most powerful magic there is. There's a reason that Rumplestiltskin manipulated the curse so that she was the Savior. She is probably very powerful."

He was silent for a moment. "We can't let her lose control of her emotions like that anymore. If she does have magic, the results could be catastrophic."

"What are we supposed to do then? We are the only ones who can calm her down, and half the time you can't even do it. I'm not going to spend every waking second with her just to make sure that she doesn't lose her head."

"We need to take the stress out of her life. We will make sure that everything goes back to normal, and we can avoid upsetting her."

"Little things used to upset her, and now her response to them has just been getting worse. There isn't anything we can do."

James sighed as he turned on his side so that he could face her. "We will do everything we can to protect her. That's all we can do right now."

She nodded. "You're right."

"But I thought that I was never right," he said with a small grin.

"There are rare exceptions."

He laughed as he closed his eyes. "Come on, let's try to get some rest. I need a break from everything that's been going on today."

"Agreed," she whispered as she snuggled against his chest once more. It didn't take long for him to drift off, but unfortunately, sleep eluded her. Her eyes stayed wide open as her head was full of thoughts. She dwelled on her daughter for a moment, but for some reason, she couldn't focus on that. There was only one person that she could think about.

Regina.

Snow hated her.

**DUN DUN DUN! I can't help it, I just love cliffhangers!**

**There has been a lot of drama lately, and I can only promise more...**

**Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to message me, I swear that I don't bite! I'm always willing to discuss the show, my fic, your fic, anything...plus I am always willing to give out sneak peeks. Seriously though, I love hearing from you guys :)**

**Please review!**


	35. Chapter 35

**So...it has been forever since I posted. Life has been very difficult and stressful lately, and I just haven't had the time/been able to write. And when I did, I had horrible writer's block. I barely have time to post now because I'm supposed to be studying for finals, but I figured that I wouldn't make you guys wait any longer.**

**Enjoy this chapter, once I got it done I was actually very happy with it.**

Snow had no idea what her plan was, she just knew what she needed to do. She didn't know where she had gotten the idea or even the guts to do this, she just knew that it had to be done. She couldn't rest until she confronted this. She didn't stand back in the shadows, she fought for what she loved, and she intended to get her vengeance. Maybe that was what propelled her forward. She kept thinking about the three precious lives that had been ripped away from her, and with every thought, her pace quickened. She was their mother, no matter what, and she would not stand by and accept the fact that they had been cruelly taken from her. She would fight back if it was the last thing she did. She felt pure hate coursing through her veins as she continued towards her destination. Her fingers were curled into fists so tight that her knuckles were white. Her mouth was shaped in a scowl like no other, and her eyes were black as night. She knew that her anger was radiating off of her, but she didn't care. She was a woman on a mission, and nothing could stop her.

She had left while James was asleep. He would have kept her from going, and she had decided not to let that happen. As much as she loved him, he had to be out of the way when it came to this. She knew that he understood her pain and that he wanted revenge as much as she did, but this had been directed at her. This was a very specific way of hurting her, and she was going to handle it. She would let James make his own move once she had gotten justice, or at least some form of it.

She could see the mansion down the street, and she hurried to get there. In a few moments, she was going to confront a monster. And yet, she wasn't afraid. She didn't care what happened to her. All she cared about was defending her children.

Her children. Every thought about them made her want to crumble to the ground and weep. She should have raised them. She should have at least met them. But she had lost them instead. She was never going to get to rock a crying child or sing it to sleep. She was never going to get to see their first steps or hear their first word. She wasn't going to get to be a mother to her own children. It had been her job to protect them, and yet, they had died. They had been murdered in cold blood. Their lives had been taken in an act to make her suffer. They had been involved in a fight that she should have shielded them from, and they had paid the ultimate price. She would do anything to bring them back, but she couldn't. They were gone. Her children were gone. Her three perfect and beautiful babies were gone.

Because of the Evil Queen.

She generally didn't hate people. Strongly dislike, yes, but never hate. She knew that everyone had good deep down inside of them, and she tried to see that good in people. She tried to be a good person, and she tried to love and accept others. But she made exceptions. And this was one of them.

She hated her with every ounce of her being. She had never felt such hate for one person before. The feeling of it running through her veins was sickening, but she used that to her advantage. She used her disgust and repulsion to fuel her hate towards the one person who had ripped away the most precious things in her life. She hated the woman who had harmed her children.

No one got away with hurting her babies. The Queen would pay the price for her actions. She would pay for the three lives she had taken, and for the childhood she had robbed Emma of. She would pay for all the sorrow and pure agony that she had caused their family. That woman would regret ever coming near her children. She was a mother who would stop at nothing to protect her children, and that woman had dared to challenge that. She knew that the Queen would rue the day that she personally harmed the children of Snow White.

She quickly walked to the door and pounded on it. She heard the sound echo through the house. She didn't say anything, and she impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for it to open. She didn't know what she would do once it did, but she was positive that it wasn't going to be pretty.

The door cracked open, and Regina's face came into view.

She felt such hatred and loathing towards that woman that she could barely contain herself. She wanted to make her hurt. She wanted to put her through pure agony. She wanted to make her suffer.

Snow punched Regina in the face as hard as she could.

The former queen stumbled backwards, and her fingers flew to her now broken nose. Blood freely ran down her face, and now her fingers were covered in the crimson substance. Her eyes grew wide as she locked gazes with Snow, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"How. Dare. You," Snow spat at her stepmother.

"Excuse me?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed, her face turning a bright shade of red. She stepped towards Regina, and the other woman slowly backed away. "HOW DARE YOU TAKE THEM FROM ME!"

The Evil Queen backed up until her feet bumped into the stairs in her front entrance. Her eyes were wide and swimming with fear, a characteristic that was rare. "I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Don't you DARE lie to me. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. You know EXACTLY what you did to me, and more importantly, what you did to them." Her voice was low and menacing, and her words were laced with hate and fury.

"Them?"

"MY CHILDREN!" Snow shook as she yelled at Regina. "Rumplestiltskin told us everything. I know that you poisoned me. I know that you MURDERED three of my babies."

"He told you?" she asked, her voice high.

"Yes. Next time, you should think twice before bragging about harming my family. Did you really think that I wouldn't find out? Did you really think that I would just let this go?" Her face was only inches apart from Regina's as she spoke. "I should have killed you when I had the chance. I should have let those arrows plunge straight into your heart. It would have saved me years of agony. It would have spared my children. But no. I chose to be merciful, and what do I get in return? I get my chance to be a mother taken away because my children were brutally stolen from me. Do you know how that makes me feel, Regina? It makes me want to kill you."

Snow knew that the Queen could use her magic at any moment. She knew that she could be turned to dust within seconds. But she wasn't afraid. In fact, judging from the look on Regina's face, her stepmother had a small ounce of fear in her. As she should be. Snow had abandoned her good natured side. She had abandoned her compassion and gentleness. Her good characteristics had been replaced with those that should have never existed in side of her. Loathing. Maliciousness. Bloodlust. She was a completely different person, as she had been morphed by her suffering and thirst for vengeance.

"You aren't going to kill me. You could never live with yourself if you did," Regina whispered, her voice steady.

"You see, I'm not the person I used to be, Regina. I'm a mother. You have no idea what I'm willing to do when it comes to the protection of my children. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"You stole my son from me. Now you know how it feels."

Snow's emerald eyes seemed to burn with the fire of hate. "His heart still beats. He still breathes. He is ALIVE! You don't know how it feels to have your child murdered! I have suffered far beyond anything you can dream of!"

"You deserve all the suffering I have caused you! You are the reason Daniel is dead! You took away MY chance to have a family, and I am just returning the favor," Regina said, her tone murderous. Her eyes grew dark and she slowly inched towards Snow. "You have a lot of nerve to come to my home and confront me, when everything is your fault. You should not have broken your promise to me. I am just getting my revenge. You killed what I loved more than anything in the world, and that is exactly what I'm doing to you."

"Your mother killed Daniel, not me!"

"HOW DARE YOU SAY HIS NAME!" Regina threw her hand out, pushing out a force that slammed Snow into the wall. "You have always been one to point fingers and install blame on others, but you need to understand that your actions caused all of this. You are not perfect, Snow White. Your children are dead because of what you did to me."

Snow thrashed against her invisible bonds in an attempt to attack Regina, but she was held in place. She felt an unseen force begin to slowly crush against her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. Her mouth formed into a snarl. "I used to think that you were a good person. But you're not. There is not an ounce of good left in your body. You are the Evil Queen, and you always will be. Henry will never love you. He will never love someone capable of such evil."

Regina threw her hand out and began to squeeze the air, choking Snow. "You wouldn't know. You've never gotten the chance to be a mother, have you?" she taunted.

Snow's eyes narrowed into slits as she violently fought against the magical bonds. She could feel her energy beginning to drain, but she would not give up. She would die fighting if it came to that.

"I hate you," she choked out with the last bit of air in her lungs.

An evil grin spread across Regina's face. "And I, you. Goodbye, Snow White."

The sound of a gunshot echoed in everyone's ears. Snow felt the magic holding her against the wall disappear, and she crumbled to the ground. She struggled to regain her breath, and when she looked up, her eyes grew wide at the scene in front of her. Regina was lying on the ground, a bullet hole in her side that was gushing blood. Her hand was pressed against it as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding, and as she tried to heal it. It was obvious that the Queen was having difficulties with her magic, probably because she was greatly weakened, as her fingers slightly glowed, but the wound didn't close. What the brunette was most shocked to see was the image of her daughter standing in the doorway. The blonde's face was dark, and she held a gun firmly in her hands. She glared at Regina as she kept her weapon pointed at her.

"How dare you harm my mother," she whispered, her tone powerful and threatening.

"Emma?" Snow rasped as she held her hand against her throat. She stood and walked towards her daughter.

Blue eyes met her own. "Come on, we need to get out of here." The blonde cast one final murderous glare in Regina's direction before she grabbed her mother's hand. Snow allowed herself to be led out of the mansion and towards Emma's bug. They quickly hopped in, and Emma sped off without another thought. Neither of them wanted to face Regina once the Queen had healed herself. Snow looked back at the mansion multiple times before they turned the corner and headed towards the apartment. They stayed silent until Emma pulled into the parking lot next to their building and the car came to a stop.

Snow could see the anger flashing across her daughter's face. "Emma," she started, only to be cut off.

"What were you thinking?"

"I needed to confront her."

"What did you possibly think the outcome would be? Did you honestly think that you could make it out of there alive?"

"I wasn't thinking-"

"You can't let your anger control you! What if she had killed you? You would have left James without a wife, and Henry without a grandmother. But more importantly, you would have left me without my mother. You would have left me, which is something that you've sworn never to do again. How could you do that?"

Snow felt tears pool in her eyes as she shook her head. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think about the consequences that would come with confronting her."

"No, you didn't. And you almost died today because of that. If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't be alive anymore. Do you know how that makes me feel? That hurts more than you could ever know. I am not ready to lose my mom, not again. I just got you back, and I do not want to be left alone."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. That's all that I can say. I don't know what possessed me to go there, but it didn't come from a good place. I didn't put you first, and I should have. I'm so sorry." Tears were freely falling down her face as her emotions caught up with her. "If you hadn't been there, I would have died. I'm supposed to protect you, but you protected me today. I'm so sorry that you were in that position." The blonde was silent, and she looked away as Snow spoke. The brunette didn't know what else to say as she stared at her daughter, waiting for some form of a response. As she sat in silence, her mind was racing with thoughts, and one detail stood out to her. "Emma, why were you at Regina's house?"

The blonde didn't say anything. Instead, she looked up at her mother and shrugged. "You're not the only one who wanted to confront her."

Snow's felt her eyes widen as she realized the extent of her daughter's intentions. Emma had gone there to face Regina. "Why?"

"She attacked my family. You're not the only one who gets to protect the people that you love. She hurt my mother and killed my siblings, and I wasn't going to let her get away with that."

"And what were you planning on doing? You just lectured me because I didn't take my safety into account, but you just did the same thing," Snow told her as she narrowed her eyes. While she knew that it was hypocritical to be upset with Emma about going after Regina, she couldn't help it. She wanted to protect her daughter, and she couldn't do that if the blonde was inserting herself into dangerous situations.

"I can handle Regina."

Snow was going to say something to contradict her daughter's argument, but she came up with nothing. Emma had just rescued her, which proved that the blonde did know how to handle the Evil Queen. Still, the mother in her caused her to be greatly concerned about the fact that the blonde put herself in harm's way simply because she felt that she could handle it. That philosophy made Snow uneasy, and she was not pleased with her daughter's risky actions.

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

The blonde smiled. "I've never really been concerned with whether or not I should do something. I don't like weighing the pros and cons. I would rather act and then react to it later."

The brunette couldn't help but smile back at her daughter. "You get that from your father."

"I also get it from you. I'm glad I inherited that, because I've always liked the way that you walk so fearlessly into a situation."

Snow turned towards Emma and saw pride on her daughter's face. The blonde was proud to inherit traits from her parents. That knowledge made her heart fill with pure joy. She had been pushing Emma for months to really connect herself with her parents, and finally it was happening. Emma was acknowledging that she was a vital part of their family. She connected Snow and James in a way that no one else could. She was a mix of the best qualities of her parents, and she was made of their true love. Her daughter had finally accepted and embraced the fact that she was a daughter and an entire world to two people.

The brunette grasped her daughter's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I love you."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"

"I can say it whenever I want, despite what you seem to think. But, I also want you to know how grateful I am that you saved me. I'm so proud of you. Thanks really isn't enough to cover my gratitude. So I decided to just let you know how I really feel about you. And the fact of the matter is that I love you more than anything in the worlds."

The blonde gave a small smile. "I love you too, Mom." She was silent for a moment, but Snow could tell that she was deep in thought. After a short amount of time, Emma spoke up. "Just don't leave me again."

The brunette could feel tears pooling in her eyes as she saw the pain that was written across Emma's face. She had almost abandoned her daughter again. Snow couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to enter a situation that could tear her from her daughter. She hadn't been thinking straight, or she never would have considered going after Regina.

"Never again. I promise."

* * *

Regina looked at her appearance in the mirror. Her nose was crooked, as Snow had broken it, and her face was stained with dried blood. Her white blouse was now a deep shade of crimson, plus it had a large hole in it. She ran her fingers across the smooth skin on her stomach where a bullet hole should have been.

She had been experiencing difficulties with magic for a while, so it hadn't been a shock to her when she was unable to instantly heal herself. Luckily she had closed the wound before she completely bled to death. It hadn't been easy, especially since she was weakened, but after a few moments a blue glow had appeared around her fingers, and with a simple wave, she had been healed. She hadn't adjusted her nose yet, but that was a top priority, as she couldn't walk around looking like a crone. But as she stared into the mirror, she couldn't focus on her appearance. She could only think about the fact that her magic wasn't working, and that setback had given Snow and her tramp of a daughter the opportunity to escape.

Snow had some nerve, that much was certain. She hadn't seen that side of her enemy before, and she had been shocked by its reveal. She wasn't afraid of much, but she would be lying if she said that she wasn't at least a little scared of her stepdaughter. She knew that she had taken something from the woman that could not be replaced, and she should have expected this type of reaction. But the Queen had never planned on revealing the truth about the poison to Snow. It would have been better if the truth had been kept secret, as it would have affected Snow much more. This entire situation was complicated, so say the least, and Regina wasn't sure how she planned on responding to it.

She waved her hand and her nose returned to normal. She retreated up to her room and quickly changed into a fresh blouse. She sat down on her bed and stared at her plain white wall, unsure of what to think.

She had never been this lost before.

She had traveled to Wonderland in search of her mother's spell book, only to discover that it was missing. She wished that she could ask her mother about the book's location, but that woman was dead. She had no idea what she intended to do with the book, she had just thought that it could help her get her son back. But, once again, she was stuck.

She didn't want to use magic against him, but there was no other way for her to claim him as her own. There was nothing she could do anymore. The people in town no longer feared her because she hadn't acted aggressively in months. Instead, she spent all of her time plotting revenge and scheming, but it got her nowhere.

She needed a concrete plan of action. But that was much harder to obtain than it seemed.

Regina didn't know what to do anymore.

* * *

It had been about two weeks since the never-ending day. Snow was exhausted, both mentally and physically. She still ached from her confrontation with Regina, and she decided that she would think twice before facing the Evil Queen like that again. It appeared that the effects of magical choking didn't wear off very fast. But it wasn't just that. Every waking moment she was dwelling on Regina's actions. It was as if she could feel this poison in her now. It was absolutely disturbing. She talked about it with James a lot, as it greatly affected their future as a family, but that didn't ease her mind. She would never be able to be extremely passionate with her husband because of her fear that she would accidentally conceive again. She couldn't lose any more children, and the knowledge that any that she became pregnant with would die caused her such intense misery that she could barely function any more. She needed to take care of this. She needed an antidote.

She felt James's fingers entwine with hers as they walked down the street. Despite the fact that they currently were on terrible terms with him, they had decided to go see Rumplestiltskin. It was one of the few options they had, and the imp had helped her before, and they hoped that he could help them once more.

James pushed open the door, and the tinkling of the bell filled the shop. They entered and stood awkwardly in the center of the room as they waited for the Dark One. They had called ahead to set up this appointment, mainly because they wanted to make sure that John wasn't there. Snow was certain that she would ring that man's neck the first chance she got, so she figured that it would be best for them to skip those unpleasantries.

Rumple strolled towards them from his office, a small smile on his face. "Hello, dearies." They acknowledged him with small nods. He gestured towards his office and led them behind the velvet curtain. "It's best that we conduct this particular business back here in my workplace."

He conjured up two chairs, and they sat, never breaking their grip on one another. "What do you have planned for us?" Snow asked once she was situated.

The Dark One took a seat behind his desk and pressed his fingers together. "Well, dearies, I figured that I would attempt to figure out which poison Regina used, and then construct an antidote from there."

The brunette nodded. "I'll tell you anything you need to know." She felt James's fingers tighten around hers, but she chose not to acknowledge it. She knew that he was wary of this, as he should be.

"Well, I need to know what symptoms you have when the poison actually does its harm."

"It's been different. The first time I was very sick, and the other two it came from nowhere."

He shook his head. "Poison would react the same way every time. It's probably just a coincidence that you were sick the first time. Tell me more about the other two, and maybe I can get a firmer grasp on the situation."

She paused as she thought about the last two times in detail. She forced herself to relive the horrors she had experienced, and she tried so hard not to break into pieces. She felt James gently caress her fingers, and she knew that he could tell that she was in great pain.

"It happened while I was asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night, and I could just tell that something was wrong. There was also blood. A lot of blood."

"And you didn't feel anything?" Rumple asked with a curious look on his face.

She shook her head. "Not until it was too late."

Rumple closed him eyes as he deeply thought about the information the brunette had given him. He racked his brain for any form of inspiration that he could find. A particular detail from a past conversation stood out, and he opened his eyes and directed his attention towards her. "Regina told me that she got the idea to poison you from King George. Does that mean anything to you?"

She gulped as her eyes grew wide. She had specifically avoided that conversation with James. She didn't want him to know what his adoptive father had done to her. But now it seemed that the former King wanted to make them suffer as well, and that realization made her shiver. George was ruthless, and if he had teamed with Regina in their effort to kill her children, Snow didn't know what she was going to do. She couldn't keep this a secret anymore, as it would just cause more harm. Rumple needed to know so that he could properly treat her, but she was most concerned about telling her husband. She couldn't leave him in the dark anymore, as that wasn't fair to him. It affected him just as much. She took a deep breath as she made her choice. She couldn't even look at the men as she gave a small nod.

James's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "Snow?" he mumbled. He had no idea what she knew, but he did not like the look on her face. Something was wrong. Something had occurred between her and King George, and he didn't like the sound of that one bit.

"Care to indulge us, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin asked her. "I need to know all of this if you want me to help you."

"When we were taking back the kingdom, we were attacked by King George's army, and I escaped to go to the cabin where we were keeping James's mother. But I didn't make it there. I was captured while in the woods, and I was taken to the King himself."

"What?" James exclaimed, disbelief clouding his face.

She didn't respond to him, and instead chose to continue. "He kept going on and on about how James had stolen his chance of having a family. I'm sure you already know that George and his wife were forced to adopt when they were barren, and I know that you are aware of James taking his brother's place," she told Rumple. She received a nod from him in reply before going forward with her story. "The King told me that his wife drank a potion that made it impossible for them to conceive. He said that losing all hope of having a family was the greatest pain a person could endure, and that he wanted my husband to feel that pain. That was when I realized that the water he had given me was poisoned, and that in one moment, I had destroyed our chances of having a family." She hung her head and tried not to cry as she concluded her story.

James was completely shocked. "So you have been poisoned before? And you didn't tell me?"

"I was going to, but when we went to Lake Nostos, your mother had Lancelot put the last drop of water in our wedding chalice so that my curse could be broken."

The prince opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Rumplestiltskin. "If water from Lake Nostos reversed the poison the first time, then there is a good chance that it will work again. Luckily there is a well here that possesses a small amount of this magical water. I can use it in a potion, and that should work as an antidote."

"That's all that it will take?" Snow asked.

"Not quite. The potion must be made personal, and I'll require strands of your hair to use as an ingredient."

"What's your price?" she questioned as she narrowed her eyes. This seemed too good to be true. It appeared like an easy task for Rumple, but she wondered why he even bothered to help them. The imp wasn't concerned with her fertility issues, at least that is what she thought, so she wondered what he hoped to gain from this.

The Dark One gave a smug smile. "All I will require is three strands of hair. Yours, your prince's, and your daughter's."

Snow wondered what he wanted with their hair, but she chose not to question it. It wasn't that steep of a price, especially for Rumplestiltskin, and she was willing to do anything if it meant that her curse would be lifted. She gave a quick nod, followed by a similar gesture from her husband. She could still see the confusion written across his face, and she knew that they were going to have a long conversation tonight. That certainly wasn't going to be pleasant.

"When do you require the hairs?" James inquired.

"Just bring them whenever you collect your potion. Speaking of which, I will notify you as soon as I have it prepared." Rumple stood, followed by the other two people. "Pleasure doing business with you," he said with a small smirk that was very characteristic.

"Thank you," she told him as she grasped her husband's hand.

"Don't thank me yet," the Dark One muttered as Snow and James exited his shop.

* * *

Snow sat at the kitchen table across from her husband. She nervously spun her ring as she waited for something to break this silence. She couldn't read the expression on her husband's face, and that terrified her. Usually she knew what was going through his head, but right now, she had no idea. "James, please say something," she whispered. She couldn't take this any longer.

He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "What do you want me to say?"

"Anything, just...talk to me."

"I don't know if I can right now. I don't even know what to think," he said with a sigh.

"Please don't shut me out. Can we just talk about this?"

"We should have talked about it when it actually happened. Not thirty years after you were POISONED. What possessed you to keep it from me, Snow? What could you possibly have to gain?"

"Your mother had just died. I didn't want to make things worse."

He clenched his jaw. "Well now it is worse. Because I have to live with the knowledge that my mother gave her life so that we would be able to have children, when Regina was just going to take them from us anyway. I have to sit here and try to comprehend why my wife didn't bother to tell me that she had been poisoned by my adoptive father. I don't even know how to make sense of all this! I don't even know where to begin!"

"I'm sorry that I kept you in the dark. I was just trying to protect you-"

"I don't need to be protected, Snow! I need to know about my wife! Whatever happens to you affects me too!"

"Well then, I apologize for trying to spare your feelings!" she spat. He was quickly making her angry, even though she knew why he was upset. She just hated the fact that he couldn't see that she was just trying to protect him because she loved him.

He glared at her. "When are you going to realize that you can't do that? We are married, Snow, and yet that doesn't seem to matter to you. We are supposed to work together and not keep things from one another. I feel like every time we fight it's because you make a decision to keep important information from me. First it was your deal with Rumplestiltskin, now this. What possesses you to think that this is okay? It's not, Snow. You can't keep doing this to me."

"When are you going to stop blaming me? You keep things from me as well, James. Do not act so innocent."

"If I was poisoned, I would have told you. If I knew why your mother died, I would have told you. If I made a deal with the Dark One so that our child could live, then I would have told you."

She bit her lip as she tried to think of what to say next. "James, what else do you want me to say? Do you want me to beg for your forgiveness? Do you want me to swear that it will never happen again? Because I can defend allow my decisions, and I will. I will not back down just because you're upset with me. I kept those things from you because I was trying to protect you. I protected you because I love you. Don't sit there and tell me that I was wrong, because I will stand by my decisions. I will not let you treat me as if I'm this horrible person who is a terrible wife."

"I never said that you were a terrible wife."

"Well you sure implied it," she told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Snow..." he started, but he just shook his head. "I just want you to be honest with me."

"I..." she whispered, but she didn't know what to say.

He sighed. "That's what I thought."

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. "A few weeks ago I went to Regina's house to confront her. She almost killed me, but Emma stopped her."

His eyes grew wide as he flew to his feet. "WHAT?"

"I'm trying to be honest with you, just like you want. Don't get angry."

"How do you expect me not to be upset? You almost got yourself killed, and you weren't going to tell me? Do you know how that would affect our family? It would DESTROY us! You can't just do whatever you want and not think about the consequences! You have to think about the other people in this family!"

"I didn't want to tell you because I knew that it would hurt you...and I wanted to spare you of that pain."

"I DON'T CARE!" he screamed. "I could care less about my well-being! I care about being your husband and taking care of you. I can't do that if you run off and face Regina without any form of protection. I can't see my wife die, I CANNOT DO THAT!"

"James-"

"We can just add this to the list of things you haven't told me, things that directly affect me. You can't do this in a marriage. It just doesn't work," he growled as he walked to the door. He grabbed his coat on the way there and he pulled it on. "I've got to go. I just can't do this right now. I need to think." He turned the doorknob and was pulling the door open when he heard her speak.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, James."

He turned back towards her and noticed the she had stood. Her fingers were pressed against the table and her mouth was twisted into a scowl. "I am just removing myself from this conversation, Snow. I don't really have an interest in continuing it."

"We are married, James. And we have issues we need to work out. Do not walk out that door."

"I'll see you later."

"Every time you walk away it makes things worse. When are you going to learn that you can't do that?"

"Stop blaming everything on me!" he yelled as he snapped. "I'm sick and tired of you twisting every argument into an attack on my actions! You are not perfect, so stop acting like it! I'm angry at you, Snow! I'm so mad I don't even know what to do anymore! You deceived me multiple times! I cannot handle that anymore! If our marriage means so little to you that you keep important details from me, then YOU can walk out the door. I don't care what your reasoning is behind it, I am your husband, and you cannot keep anything from me! We are supposed to work together! And yet, I don't know if I can trust you anymore. I keep getting blindsided about everything, and I have no idea if you are making decisions that are influencing our marriage!"

"Everything I have done has been in order to protect you from being hurt! Are you saying that you don't want me to care about your emotions anymore? That will never happen James! When are you going to realize that I do everything because I love you?"

"Well this sure doesn't feel like love, now does it?" he roared in response.

"Well maybe it isn't!"

The creak of a floorboard caused them to whip towards the door. They had been so consumed in their fight that they hadn't noticed the door open. Both of their faces fell as they noticed Henry standing in the open doorway, his expression one of sadness and hurt.

"You don't love each other anymore?"

"Henry," Snow whispered as she took a step towards him. He slowly backed away as his eyes clouded with tears. "Let me explain-"

"Why would you say those horrible things?" he quietly asked as he continued to make his way towards the stairs.

"Henry, I know it looks bad, but you have to understand that we don't mean it-" James tried.

"Why would you say things you don't mean? Why would you lie just to hurt each other? That doesn't make sense." He had his foot on the first step and he had gripped the railing as he spoke.

"Come back inside and we can talk about this," Snow told him as she continued to inch towards him.

"No. I know what I heard. You don't love each other anymore."

"Henry-" James said, but he was cut off when Henry burst into tears. The boy shook his head and ran down the stairs. He shot a look of horror at his wife as she clasped a hand over her mouth.

"What have we done?" he asked her. He couldn't believe what had just happened. His grandson had overheard them fighting, and now he thought that his grandparents didn't love each other anymore. James was ashamed of himself. He couldn't believe that he had caused his grandson to be hurt so much.

Snow looked like she was about to start sobbing any second. He didn't know what to say to her, so he headed down the stairs, determined to find his grandson and right this wrong.

She watched her husband chase after Henry, and she wanted to follow him, but she couldn't. Instead she released a sob as she collapsed into a chair by the kitchen table. She laid her head on her arms and let the tears flow. She was upset about her fight with James, but she was more distraught over the fact that Henry now thought so small of them. She deserved it. She was a horrible wife and a terrible grandmother. She was supposed to give her grandson a family surrounded by love, but instead, she had tried to take it away.

She didn't know what she was going to do to make this better, but she knew that she needed to.

* * *

Henry didn't know where he was headed. He was just upset. He kept wiping tears from his eyes as he ran. He just had to get away before everything got even worse.

If Snow White and Prince Charming didn't love each other anymore, then that meant that true love didn't exist. That meant that all hope was lost. Everything that he had ever believed in would be a lie. And he didn't want it to be. He had always thought that his grandparents were the most loving people he had ever met, but he had just seen them yell terrible things at each other. He wondered if his family was ripping apart again. He hoped it wasn't, because last time it had been difficult to put back together. He wondered what had caused this sudden revert back to the dysfunctional family they had been for about a month. What could have taken the love away from his family? What could have made his grandparents question their love for one another?

He found himself at his castle, and he took a seat next to the slide. He sniffled and wiped away the water lines that were tracing his cheeks.

"Rough day?"

Henry turned towards the voice, his eyes growing wide. A tall man was leaning against the side of the playground. His eyes were dark as he brought a bottle to his lips and took a long drink. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his coat and shook one into his palm. As he lit it up, Henry realized that he recognized this man. It was the guy that his mom had beaten up at the diner. It was the stranger.

The boy hopped off of the playground and backed away. "I'm fine."

"Doesn't look like it." The man's greasy hair hung in his face and partially covered his pale and hollow cheeks. With one swift movement, his pushed the black strands of his hair away from his face and tucked behind his ear. "It's okay to be upset. And it's alright to want to come to a place like this to sort out your problems."

"I..."

"I've found that I particularly enjoy this playground. No one ever comes here, and it's quiet and peaceful. You can really think or just clear your head." He took a few steps towards Henry but kept a decent amount of distance between them. "I've seen you around town a bit. You seem pretty popular. Everyone talks to you. I've also noticed that you hang around Emma a lot."

"Why do you care?"

"What's your relation to Emma? You must be related to her, I mean you look exactly like her and her mother. So what it is?"

"She, she's my mom," he mumbled as he slowly started to back away.

"Mother, you say?" The man got a strange look in his eyes as he took another swing of his drink. He muttered to himself for a moment before he narrowed his eyes. "How old are you?" He stepped towards Henry, his eyes becoming even darker.

"I'm not going to tell you."

"That's not the best idea."

Henry tried not to look afraid, but he felt like he was failing. "I'm not scared of you."

The man laughed. "What's your name, boy?" he asked in between puffs of his cigarette.

"Who are you?"

"I asked you first," he said as he took another long drink. He swished the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing. "It's alright, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." He flashed a wide and terrifying smile.

Henry didn't believe him.

**It's not very nice to leave you guys with another cliffhanger, I know, but it is just what I do.**

**I have a sliver of the next chapter written, plus it's almost summertime, so the next update should come a lot faster than this one. Once school is out I definitely plan to pick up the pace.**

**Thanks for being such awesome readers, and I'm really sorry about the super long wait.**

**Please review!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Hey guys! I had some major writer's block earlier this week, but I pushed through and finished this chapter. I'm really happy with the result, and I hope you guys like it. **

**It's officially summer, so I will have a lot more time to work on this story! I hope to update a lot more than usual. I do have to say that I will be out of town at the end of this month, but I will be able to write, just not update. I plan on getting a lot of work done so that I'm not keeping you guys waiting for too long.**

**This is a shorter chapter than usual, but it's packed with angst.**

**Enjoy!**

Emma cracked her eyes open and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. She realized that she had been asleep for an hour, which meant that she probably should head back to the station. She couldn't risk being gone all afternoon, as she did have responsibilities around town. The blond turned to her other side so that she was facing August's bare chest. He had one arm draped over her, and she snuggled even more into his embrace. She placed a few soft kisses over his heart, causing him to stir.

"Let me sleep, Swan."

She smiled as his fingers ran through her hair. "I've got to go back to work. And so do you, deputy."

He groaned. "Can't we just stay here all day?"

She shook her head as she sat up and stretched. Her clothes were strewn around the room, and she climbed out of bed to retrieve them. She quickly dressed and headed to the bathroom so that she could slightly fix her hair.

As she combed through her curls, she felt two arms snake around her and pull her close. August began to slowly kiss her neck, and she didn't fight him at all. Eventually she turned around and pushed him back towards the bed. She figured that she could miss a few more minutes of work, as she had already been gone an hour. He lifted her shirt over her head and flung it towards the nightstand. It hit something and knocked it to the ground, and suddenly the room was filled with a loud ringing.

"My phone must have switched on when it fell," she muttered as she bent down to silence it. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the caller I.D. "It's my mom," she whispered as she answered.

August was annoyed that their second session was being interrupted, but he automatically became concerned when he saw Emma's face pale. He couldn't hear what she mumbled into the phone, but she quickly hung up and looked at him. "What it is?" he asked.

"Henry ran away and my parents can't find him."

She looked like she was about to cry. "What are we waiting for? Let's go find him."

* * *

Henry ran through the forest as fast as he could. The man had gotten way to close to him, plus he had looked extremely suspicious, and he had bolted towards the woods. He had a feeling that the stranger was not a good man, and he knew that he had to get away. Gone were his concerns about his grandparents. He could only focus on the fact that he was very close to getting hurt.

He could hear the man yelling after him as he ran through the forest. Henry tried not to mark his path, but he felt like he was failing. He was snapping too many branches, as the ground was soft and squishy, so he probably was leaving footprints. He had never been to this area of the woods before, and the trees were thick and very old. As he looked around, he felt like he had no place to escape. It was just an endless forest, and he was completely lost.

Why had that man wanted to know so much about him? Why was he concerned with Emma? Henry didn't trust him at all, and he had known better than to give away his name or age. The stranger seemed to know so much about his family already, and he wasn't about to spill the beans about his personal information. He was terrified of the man, and he hoped that he would never see him again. Henry wanted to cry he was so afraid. He was just a boy who was lost in a forest and being chased by a mad man.

"Where are you?" a rough voice yelled from his right. He frantically looked around until he spotted a log. He ran towards it as quickly and quietly as he could, but he was stopped when the collar of his shirt was yanked backwards. The boy yelped as his airways were momentarily constrained, and he tumbled to the ground. He hopped on his feet and was prepared to run, but the man was dangerously close to him. There was a dark gleam in his eyes unlike anything Henry had seen before. "No one runs from me, boy."

"What do you want with me?" he yelled, his voice hoarse.

"I want some answers. And you're going to give them to me."

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Henry spat.

The man growled. "That was not a good answer, boy."

He curled his fist and swung it as hard as he could. Henry barely had time to react before hard knuckles hit him in the side of the face. He stumbled back, and he instantly cupped his wound with his hand. A pained cry escaped his lips, and he noticed a wicked spark in the stranger's eyes.

"What are you doing?" he managed to squeak out before another hit contacted his face.

"This is what you deserve, boy."

The fist came flying faster and faster, and Henry felt his face bust up. His skin was tender, and he couldn't contain the whimpers and cries that were leaking out of him. He struggled to stand, and he eventually collapsed and curled up on the ground. It was impossible for him to fight back, so he silently prayed as the man beat him mercilessly.

* * *

"Why did he run?" Emma yelled as she paced across the station. Her parents were both standing across from her, and they looked extremely guilty and upset.

"He saw us get into a fight, and he got upset," Snow squeaked out.

"What kind of fight?" the blonde snapped as she whirled around to face her mother.

"That's not the point-" the brunette mumbled.

"That is EXACTLY the point. Why would he run? He had to have a reason. So please just tell me what exactly that is. I do not have time to play these games with you right now," Emma spat as she looked her mother right in the eye. She was upset about her son being missing, but she was angrier about that fact that her parents were partially the cause. She didn't even know how to begin to explain to them what she was feeling.

Her father started to say something when he was cut off by August entering the room. "I just got off of the phone with Red. She saw him get off of the bus, and then a few minutes later he was running towards the beach."

"Did you think to check his castle?" Emma questioned.

James nodded. "He wasn't there. But that wasn't the first place we checked. He could have briefly visited it and then left."

"Where would he have gone?" the blonde said to herself as she glanced at a map of Storybrooke. "I'm going to the castle. Maybe there are some answers there." She grabbed her coat and headed out the door, but she stopped when her parents started to follow her. "I don't want you two coming with me. I can't even begin to tell you how upset I am. If you're going to help look for him, make your own search party." She stormed out of the station, leaving a stunned James and an upset Snow behind.

August sighed as he glanced at the other two people. He felt like he should say something, and they looked extremely hurt. He didn't want to be the one who justified Emma's behavior, but he knew what she was going through. He knew that her parents probably understood her behavior, but he still felt the need to vocalize his thoughts. "She's just worried about Henry. She doesn't like to show that she's afraid, and so she disguises her fear in other ways, like lashing out. You should have seen her when she got your call. I thought that she was going to cry," he quietly told them. "Look, it doesn't matter what happened before, but it does matter that Henry is missing. Finding him is our top priority. Start searching the woods, that's probably a good bet."

They nodded as he spoke, and he could tell that they were deeply affected by what had happened with Henry, and also with Emma. With a small, and hopefully encouraging, smile, he exited the room, leaving Snow and James alone.

"He sure understands her," he commented to his wife.

"They're a perfect match," she whispered as she looked up at her husband. "This is our fault, and we need to fix it. We need to find Henry and explain to him that we didn't mean any of it. We need to tell him that we still love each other."

He nodded and pulled her into his arms. He could feel the wetness of her tears on his chest, but he didn't care. "We can't ever let this happen again."

"Never."

"I love you, Snow. I'm sorry I said those awful things."

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. The whole argument was pretty much my fault."

"No, I got way too upset with you. I shouldn't have gotten so angry over something that you did to protect the people you love. I understand all of your motives. And while I don't approve of your actions, I can honestly say that I agree with all your reasons behind them. I'm sorry that I made you feel like a horrible wife. That wasn't fair, and it will never happen again. I promise."

She felt herself smile despite everything that was going on. "I love you James."

"I know." He paused for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Let's fix this, and let's do it together."

"It shouldn't be any other way."

* * *

There were lots of footprints, both big and small. The sand was covered with them. There was a smashed beer bottle and a discarded cigarette next to the slide, but other than that, there were no real clues as to who had been at the playground. She was desperately trying to find leads, but Emma was coming up empty-handed. Her son had probably been here, but so had someone else. She didn't know what that meant, and she honestly didn't want to.

She sat on the steps and held her head in her hands. She needed to take a second to compose herself. Her hair whipped in the wind and stuck to her face, but she didn't really care. In fact, she was barely aware of her surroundings. She was completely consumed with the fact that she had no idea where her own son was.

"Emma," a voice gently said. The blonde didn't acknowledge him as he slowly took a seat next to her. "It's going to be okay. We are going to find him, I promise."

She turned towards August, and she felt her face crumble a little. "What if-"

"Stop," he told her as he cupped her face in his palms. He ran his thumbs across her cheeks and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I told you that it's going to be okay, and I promise you that it will be. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

She let herself lean into his embrace and he ran his fingers run through her soft locks. She sighed after a minute and looked up at him. "There are footprints leading to the woods. We should check there next."

He nodded and stood, offering his hand out to her. She gratefully grasped his fingers, and he led her towards the line of trees that were in the distance. Henry was all that mattered right now, and they were going to find him no matter what.

"Do you want to split up?" he asked her as they walked.

"Not really, but it makes more sense. We need to cover as much area of this forest as quickly as possible."

Her voice was all business, and he was even more upset because of it. He knew that she was just trying to shut out her emotions over her son, and he wished that she wouldn't do that. She needed to open up to him about her feelings, and he hated that she still tried to avoid it.

"We can stay fairly close. I've turned my cell phone on, so you can reach me whenever you need to, okay?"

Emma nodded and gave him a small and sad smile. Before he could say anything else, she headed into the woods without even looking back. He could practically see the determination radiating off of her. He knew that the blonde would not stop until Henry was safe in her arms.

* * *

John stumbled up the stairs of his father's house. He belched loudly as he pushed the door open and strolled inside. His father had given him a room there, and it was nice to have a place to stay other than the bed and breakfast. Luckily his father wasn't too intrusive into his life, so it wasn't that bad of a living situation. Plus the food was delightful.

He should have felt worse about beating a little kid, but he wasn't too concerned with his actions. He had never cared before, and while he was technically trying to be a better person, he had known going in that it wouldn't actually work. The boy had been an easy target, and it hadn't been hard to knock him out. John had left the small, curled up boy lying next to a log in a clearing. Someone would eventually find him, and besides, it was no longer his problem. He wasn't haunted by the pained sounds the boy had made, and he didn't care about the marks he had left on the small, pale face. He still wasn't sure why he had felt the need to beat a child, but then again, he was incredibly drunk, and he had been pissed off. Those two facts practically justified the beating, or at least he hoped that they did. He wasn't looking for excuses, but he wanted to just deny that it happened. He was too concerned with other, more important, matters, and he didn't need this added stress in his life.

He found his way into the front sitting room and he sank into one of the sofas. His head was already pounding and he could feel a major headache coming on. Although, he wasn't entirely sure what it was originating from. It was probably the excessive amounts of alcohol he had consumed today for no reason other than to get wasted. But there was something else that was bothering him. It was an idea that had popped into his head, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get it to go away.

That boy was Emma's son. He looked like he was about ten or so, which would be the right age. Emma hadn't been with anyone before she met him, and he knew that she never cheated on him, even if they weren't really together. He knew that he was her first, which meant that she would have gotten pregnant with her kid around the time that they had broken apart. Plus she was thrown in jail not long after they ended things, so she couldn't have gotten pregnant there. So if the kid was about ten or eleven, then this timeline was right. That kid was probably his son.

John felt like he was going to throw up. He wasn't certain about his thoughts, but they still terrified him. He didn't want to be a father, but he wanted to know if this was the truth. He had a right to know if he had a son, even if he didn't intend to step up to the plate as a father. Besides, he hadn't grown up with a dad, so he wouldn't even know how to be one.

He rolled off the couch and stumbled into the bathroom. There was barely enough time for him to throw his head into the toilet bowl before he empty the contents of his stomach. He gripped the smooth porcelain rim, and he was able to pull back after a moment. He slumped against the wall and took a few deep breaths as he tried to compose himself. It was easier said than done.

There was a faint knock on the bathroom door, and the sound caused him to be pulled from his thoughts.

"John? Is that you?" Belle asked as she stepped into view.

He had been shocked to discover that his father had a girlfriend. His father had never been a loving person, and it was amazing that someone had managed to take hold of a piece of the Dark One's heart. It was also a puzzling situation, as he couldn't begin to understand why someone as beautiful and kind as Belle would want to be with a beast like his father. But, he could tell that they loved each other more than anything, and he found himself happy for his father. Belle was good and she brought out the right side of his father, and he was completely grateful of that. His father needed someone like that to stabilize his life, and John was glad that Belle could be that person.

He wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Yeah."

"You don't look so good."

"Too much to drink," he mumbled as he forced himself to stand up. His legs wobbled at first, but he managed to stay upright.

"I can tell." She paused for a moment, and he could tell that she was thinking. "Why don't you come to the kitchen? I'll make you something to eat."

It was impossible for him to turn down food. He gave a quick nod and followed her as she headed towards the kitchen. She started working on the food immediately, and he nearly collapsed into one of the chairs. It didn't take long for him to let his head rest on his arms on the table. He could already feel exhaustion kicking in, but it was paired with too many emotions. He was emotionally drained, rather than physically. Sure, the alcohol had taken a lot out of him, but the situation with that boy today was still troubling him. He just had to know more about Emma's son. It was tiring him just thinking about it, and he desperately wished to get this out of his head. But he couldn't do that without getting a few answers.

"Belle?"

"Yes?" she asked. She continued to cook as she glanced over her shoulder at John.

"What do you know about Emma's son?"

She paused for a second before dishing up some food. She set the plate in front of him and took a seat. He began to eat, but he was still patiently waiting for an answer.

"His name's Henry. He's eleven. At least I think. I don't really get out much, and all I know is from what your father has told me." She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know about him?"

"Just wondering," he said with a shrug. He was glad that he was a good liar, because he was having a difficult time masking his panic and shock right now. If that boy, that Henry, was eleven, then that meant that he was his son. He had probably just beaten his son. But that didn't faze him, as he was worried about the big picture. He was almost certain that he was a father. And that thought terrified him.

* * *

August wasn't very familiar with these woods, so it was difficult for him to keep track of his path. But despite his horrible navigation, he continued on. He yelled Henry's name every few moments, hoping that the boy could hear him. He desperately hoped that no harm had come to Emma's son, and that everything was somewhat okay. He remained as calm as he could in order to focus on his search. Plus if he was panicked and he found the boy, he could only imagine that state that Henry would go into.

A branch cracked underneath his foot, and the sound echoed through the clearing. He paused for a moment and noticed that he was in a small clearing. For some reason, he got a feeling that told him to call out Henry's name. He didn't question the prompting, and he cleared his voice.

"Henry?" he loudly called. The sound of his voice seemed to bounce around in the clearing, and he waited for a few moments. He had a feeling that he should stay put right now. There was something about this clearing...

As his eyes roamed around, he noticed a pale object lying among the leaves. He could tell that it extended back behind a large log. He took a few small steps forward and squinted his eyes in order to see the object better. As he got closer, he froze in his steps and paled. The object was a small, human, hand.

August broke into a sprint straight towards the log. He ran towards the back, and he gasped when he saw the body. Henry was lying on the ground, his form limp. His head was flopped to the side, and it was swollen and heavily bruised. Some of his skin had split open on his forehead, and a small stream of blood was staining his face. The boy's lips were blue, and he was barely breathing. He reached out to touch the small face, and he discovered that his skin was ice cold. He removed his coat and wrapped it around the boy's unconscious body. He carefully lifted the delicate form into his arms and cradled the boy against him.

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Emma's number. "I found him," he rushed out as soon as she picked up. He heard her gasp, but he didn't wait for her to say anything more. "He needs to go to the hospital. He's badly hurt."

Her voice was shaky as she attempted to speak. "I'll...I'll get the car."

"Call your parents, Emma."

"Okay." He could tell that she was trying not to get upset, but he knew that it wasn't working. She hung up the phone, and he threw his cell into his pocket.

He immediately headed towards the beach. Even though he didn't know his surroundings very well, he had the fate of a young boy in his hands. He could feel Henry shivering, and he desperately tried to warm the small figure up. He started to run, as he knew that there was no time to spare. He could see a familiar break in the trees in the distance, and he quickened his pace. Just as he stepped in the small clearing, he felt a body slam into his. He almost lost his footing, but he managed to stay upright. He whirled around, only to discover that James was sprawled on the forest floor with Snow right behind him.

"August!" she exclaimed, her eyes growing wide as she noticed the limp form of her grandson. "What happened?"

"I found him like this. He's ice cold and badly beaten. I don't know how he got like this."

James stood and practically ripped his coat off. He wrapped it around Henry before holding out his arms. "Let me take him for a while. Your arms are probably getting tired."

August nodded and passed the boy off. Henry's head fell to the side, and the extent of his injuries was revealed. Snow gasped and James's eyes grew wide as saucers. "It's really bad. I have no idea how long he's been unconscious."

Snow pulled off her coat and tucked it around the boy in her husband's arms. She gently ran her fingers through his short hair. "Oh, Henry..."

They continued through the forest at a brisk pace. Snow and James had been searching the forest nearby when they had received Emma's call. They headed towards the beach without stopping, as they were all concerned about the young boy's welfare. Before too much longer, the white sand was visible between the trees. August could see Emma's blonde hair whipping in the wind, and he sprinted towards her.

"Emma!"

"Where is he?"

"Your father has him. We need to get him to the hospital as soon as possible."

She nodded, and he could see her searching the tree line. Her face fell when she saw her parents step onto the sand and head towards them. He barely had time to react before she had broken into a run.

Emma couldn't believe what she was seeing as she came up to her father. Her son was buried under three coats, but he was still shivering. She tried not to look at his face, as the sight made her want to throw up. She could already feel tears start to leak out of her eyes, and her knees began to feel weak. Her voice seemed to slip away as she tried to say her son's name. Her lip started to quiver as she looked upon his bruised and beaten face. She didn't know what he had gone through, but she was too familiar with what a brutal beating felt like. Images of foster parents and exes swam through her head and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had never wanted her son to endure that type off suffering, but he had. Someone had hurt him.

Two arms caught her before she fell to the ground. She had started to shake, and she was pulled against someone. She could distantly hear her mother's voice, but she couldn't comprehend what the woman was saying. Her hand pressed against her mouth as she tried to hold in her cries. She let herself have a moment of weakness, and she let a small sob escape. Her mother lifted her to her feet and helped her walk towards the car. She could hear August and her father putting Henry in the backseat while the engine roared to life, and suddenly everything snapped into focus.

"Give him to me," she stated as she climbed into the backseat. She carefully pulled her son towards her and cradled him in her arms. She held him close to her, and she could feel how violent his shivers hand gotten. Her mother climbed in the back with her, while James and August each took the front seats. Soon the car was quickly headed towards the hospital, but she could barely think about that. Her eyes couldn't leave her son's mangled face, and her heart was slowly breaking with every second that passed.

"Emma," someone whispered. She looked around in an attempt to locate the speaker. She noticed that her mother was gone, and she started to panic. She couldn't handle this by herself. She needed someone to rely on right now. Her head whipped around, and she noticed Dr. Whale standing next to the open door of the car. There was a stretcher next to him, and a few people in scrubs stood around. "Emma, we have to take him now. We have to get him inside so that he'll be okay."

She didn't want to, but she loosened her grip on her son. They carefully pulled him from the car and gently placed him on the stretcher. She climbed out and watched as they strapped him on. Dr. Whale gave orders as the scrubbed assistants and they quickly wheeled Henry into the hospital. Without a second thought, she followed them, making sure to pick up her pace so that she kept up. As they pushed her son through some double doors, so moved to follow, when the doctor pushed her back.

"Let me through."

"You can't go back here, Miss Swan."

"I'm not going anywhere! That's my son!"

He looked around and locked eyes with someone, but she couldn't tell who. "Control her!" he barked before slipping away.

She shoved her way through the doors, but she felt two strong hands grasp her arms. She struggled as she was pulled away, but that didn't faze the person who was preventing her movement. Suddenly, she was lifted off of the ground and carried away. She kicked and swung her arms until she was set down in a chair. The hands didn't leave her arms, and she was pulled towards the other person.

"It's going to be okay, Emma. We're here, and we've got you."

She looked up at her father and could see that he was trying to remain composed for her sake. She felt a hand on her back, and she looked over to see her mother sitting right next to them. August was even leaning against the wall just a few feet away. She had three people that cared about her, and that she cared about, there to comfort her, and she gave up fighting her emotions.

"My son...what if he's not okay?" she whispered. She felt her face crumble and she let herself cry in her parents' arms.

**I know that I'm an evil person, so please don't hate me. And I'm going to stop apologizing for the cliffhangers, because I love them too much and you get one almost every update.**

**I'm a little stuck when it comes to the next chapter, but I am playing with a few ideas and I hope to update very soon.**

**Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	37. Chapter 37

**So I know that a lot of you were not happy with what happened in the last chapter, and I wish that I could promise that only good things will happen, but we all know that isn't my style. There is a lot of angst coming up, so get ready.**

**I would like to thank ladywolf101 for being the best beta ever. Seriously, this chapter would not have happened without her.**

**Remember when I promised a major plot twist? Well, here you go...**

Emma sat in one of the hospital chairs, and she held her head in her hands. She felt her mother slowly rub her back, while her father sat silently next to them. Her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were swollen and dry. She felt completely drained after crying for a lengthy period of time, even though she wasn't sure how long that was. She couldn't deal with the stress of waiting to hear news about her son anymore, and she was getting impatient. Her parents hadn't left her side, and she was grateful that they were here to support her. She needed them so much right now, and she couldn't bear the thought of being here alone.

"Emma," someone gently said, and she looked up. August stood in front of her with a tray of coffee cups in his hands. He was holding one out to her, and despite the fact that her stomach was rolling around, she accepted it. She took a small sip and leaned back in the chair. She sighed as she stared at the double doors at the end of the hallway. She couldn't help but wonder what was occurring back there.

Suddenly, they burst open and Dr. Whale entered the waiting room. Emma immediately stood, as did her companions. "How is he?" she blurted out before the doctor even made it to them.

He took a deep breath, and his eyes seemed to dart around. "I...I need to speak to you Miss Swan. In private."

She felt herself pale, and she knew that nothing good could come from this conversation that was about to happen. She gave a small nod before stepping forward. "Lead the way," she managed to squeak out. A hand grasped her shoulder, causing her to quickly turn around.

"We'll be right here, okay?" Snow told her. Emma gave a weak smile to the woman before following the doctor.

He led her through the double doors and stopped a ways down the hallway. She could hear the beeping and whir of machines coming from a room a few feet away from them. She figured that this was the room where Henry was, and she wanted to peek inside. Seeing her son in the operating state wasn't something she ever wanted to experience, but she was so desperate to look at him right now. She needed to catch even a glimpse of him. She looked around for a glass windowpane, but she wasn't so lucky. The door was closed and there was no way to see in.

"How is he?" she asked again, her voice small.

Dr. Whale folded his arms and sighed. "He's stable. It wasn't easy, either. He was showing signs of hypothermia, but we managed to bring his body temperature back to a normal level. Who's knows how long he was out there, but any longer and he might not have made it."

She held a hand against her mouth and shook her head. She couldn't think about her son dying. It was too painful. "And his other injuries?"

The doctor looked her in the eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets. "He is showing signs of TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury. Currently it hasn't moved out of the moderate level, but it's quickly progressing. I estimate that he will be in the severe category in the next few hours."

She cleaned her jaw as she felt her eyes become wet. "Why...why do you say that?"

"Well, he's been unconscious for at least a few hours, meaning his brain is unable to properly respond to his surroundings. The longer this continues, the harder it will be for his brain to return to a normal state." He cleared his throat a few times. "There was a...significant amount of bleeding in his brain, no doubt due to the extreme injuries to his head. We managed to stop it, but we haven't been able to assess the complete damage yet. Not only that, but his skull was cracked. We believe that this caused his brain to swell. While we haven't been able to properly correct this, it has moved from a dangerous level."

She was quiet for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "So...how will these issues with his brain affect him?"

"They've already started." He looked at the ground and took a deep breath. "We almost lost him once. He had a seizure and wasn't responding to any of our efforts, and he made the bleeding and swelling worse. It almost completely shut him down. He had a second seizure about an hour later, and luckily that one didn't cause as much damage as the first. We have him being constantly monitored, because I am very concerned that he will have a stroke of some sort. I can't be sure what just yet, but I am very positive that we will see some definite long term effects as well."

"Is he in a coma?" she inquired, her voice shaky.

Dr. Whale took a few moments to answer. "Yes. He would have naturally fallen into one, which could have been devastating. I chose to put him in a medically induced one so that his brain could have time to heal."

"How long will it be until he wakes up?"

"It all depends on him. But right now, the prospects don't look very good. I have him hooked up to machines that keep his heart beating and make him breathe. He is completely dependent on them to keep him alive. His brain has been so damaged that it cannot take care of him right now. With the right treatment, however, I am hopeful that his brain will progress to a point where it is able to function again."

Emma took a deep breath as she tried to process all of this new information. "So what you're saying is that my son is not okay?"

The doctor nodded. "I wish that I could give you better news."

She closed her eyes and massaged her temples. This information was too much all at once. She couldn't handle what he was telling her about her son. Henry didn't deserve to be in this state, but there was nothing that she could do to help him right now. She had to rely on others to make sure that he was going to be okay. That was a lot to ask of someone who had hardly trusted anyone throughout her entire life.

"Thank you, Doctor," she whispered. She turned to leave, but was stopped when he called out to her.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yes?"

"There are a few more things that are necessary for the two of us to discuss."

She retreated back to him and folded her arms over her chest. "What is it?"

"Is...uh...everything alright at home?" he mumbled.

"Yes, why?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Well, he had a large number of injuries inflicted to his head and face, primarily on the right side. These injuries seem to be caused by a fist-"

She raised her hand and silenced him. "Are you suggesting that I beat my son?" she growled. By the look on his face, she knew that those had been his original thoughts. "How dare you! I would never lay a finger on him!"

"I had to ask, I'm sorry! It's standard protocol when we take cases of abuse."

"I didn't do that to him!"

"Well someone did, Miss Swan. And the injuries he has received could cause permanent damage. It is imperative that we get to the bottom of this. And you are not only his mother, but you're the sheriff. It's your job to start building this case."

She nodded and looked at the ground. "You said the injuries were around the right side of his face?" The doctor gave her a quick nod, and she bit her lip. "I'm going to start an investigation. Is it possible for me to get a full medical report?"

"Yes. I have someone starting the paperwork right now, and I just need to contribute to it."

She was silent for a moment before she could find her voice again. "Can...can I...can I see him?"

Dr. Whale ran his fingers through his hair. "We need to move him into his own, private, room. But after that, I don't see how it would be a problem. I'll alert you as soon as he's ready for visitors."

"Thank you, Doctor," she said before she turned to leave. She walked down the hallway at a slow pace, her mind swimming with thoughts about her son and his condition. She felt like she was about to vomit, as the whole situation made her sick to her stomach. Someone had hurt her son to the point that he was on the brink of death. Her little boy was going to have permanent damage from this, and he hadn't done anything to deserve it. She wanted to see him more than anything, but she didn't know if she could bear the sight of him. This was all too much for her to handle.

She leaned against a wall and slowly slid to the floor. She brought her knees to her chest and leaned her forehead lean against them. Her hair hung around her face like a curtain, and it seemed to block out the rest of the world. She had been holding in her emotions while talking to the doctor, and now she couldn't do anything but give into them. Her tears rolled down her face as she shook with her sobs. She slightly rocked back and forth, and she cried for her son. She wept for the fact that he wasn't okay, and he wasn't about to be okay. She wished that she could take all of his suffering away and make it her own. She was supposed to be this amazing savior, but she couldn't even protect her own son. She felt like a failure, not only as a savior, but as a mother.

"Emma?" She chose to ignore the voice, and the person who was taking a seat next to her. "What happened?" She shook her head as she was pulled into someone's arms. She felt them run their fingers through her hair as they kissed her forehead. She buried the face in the crook of their neck as she gripped the fabric of their shirt.

"He's not okay...he's not okay..." she sobbed over and over again.

"Shh...I've got you...I'm here."

She looked up and she could see the pain in August's eyes. She knew that he was hurting for her more than anything. He hated seeing her in this state, and that was no secret. The comfort he was giving her right now was exactly what she needed, and she didn't want him to ever let go.

She felt him stand up and take her with him. She had no idea where they were headed, but she trusted him. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand as they walked. She didn't want to appear weak.

Some double doors opened, and she found herself in the waiting room. Her eyes locked with her mother, who had risen to stand next to her father. Their faces were so pained as they looked at her, and she could tell that they were hurting for her.

"I found her sobbing in the hallway," August stated as they got closer.

"Oh, Emma," she heard Snow whisper before she was pulled into a tight embrace. She immediately pulled out of her mother's grip and walked away from the woman.

"Just, don't," she stated. "Not now."

"Emma, what-" the brunette started, but she was cut off when the blonde shook her head.

"I don't want to be comforted by you, okay? I can't deal with you right now after what you did." She pointed towards the hallway, her eyes dark. "It's your fault that he is in there right now, and he is far from okay. If you two hadn't been fighting in front of him, he wouldn't have run away. And if he didn't run away, he wouldn't have gotten hurt. So I'm blaming you two. And that is just something that you will have to deal with."

"Emma, we just want to be here for you," James said.

"Well I don't want anything to do with you right now. In fact, I just want to be alone." With that, she walked towards a chair across the room and sunk into it. She could feel her parents' eyes on her as she leaned forward and held her head in her hands. Right now she just needed a moment to be upset about her son. She didn't stop the tears that formed in her eyes and started to run down her cheeks. She was glad when no one else came near her, because she just needed to deal with this by herself. She wanted to handle her grief alone.

Snow, James, and August all took seats across the room from Emma, but they didn't tear their eyes away from her. Even though she wanted to be by herself, she wouldn't truly be alone. They had all vowed to never let that happen again.

* * *

Regina was flipping through a book when her phone rang. She checked the caller I.D. before answering, and she instantly paled. It was the hospital.

"Hello?" she barked into the phone without meaning to. She was just nervous about this call and what might be revealed through it.

"Your Majesty, there is a situation with your son down here. He just left the emergency room, and he is being transported into his own room as we speak."

Her eyes grew wide, and she let out a small gasp. "What happened?"

"He was badly beaten and nearly frozen to death."

She gripped the phone tightly in her hand. "How long has he been there?"

"A few hours."

"Why wasn't I contacted sooner?" she yelled, her anger overpowering her. "I am his mother!"

"Your Majesty, your name was removed from his emergency contact list months ago."

She froze. "Are you serious? They stooped that low?"

"No one is aware that I'm calling you. I just thought that you should know, since you raised him."

"Thank you," she whispered. She didn't even know who was calling, and yet this person was the first one who had cared about her at all in months. It was the first person who had tried to include her in her son's life.

"You didn't hear it from me." The call disconnected, and she let the phone fall from her hands.

Her son was badly hurt, and she was just now hearing about it. She was his mother, and yet, she had no idea about his well-being. She had spent years taking care of him, and now she didn't even know if he was okay or not. It was maddening. She deserved to be a part of his life. She had been there for him for his first ten years, and it wasn't fair that she was now cut off from him. She only wanted to love and protect him, but she couldn't even do that.

She stood and grabbed her coat, fully intending to go to the hospital. She was stopped when a realization flashed through her mind. She couldn't go there. She couldn't be with him. She would get thrown out the second she stepped through the doors. Being the Evil Queen had caused her to become an outcast and a menace to society. There was no way that she would be allowed to see her son. That wasn't fair. She couldn't even look at him without fearing for her safety. It wasn't fair that she had everything taken from her because of her title.

She sunk down into a chair and let her tears tumble down her face. She didn't know what she was going to do. She wanted to be there, but the Charmings would never allow it. But she did have a way.

Her hand flew across her desk and grabbed her mirror. She flipped it over so that she was looking at the genie.

"Show me Henry," she told her servant. She was going to get to see her son after all.

* * *

"Miss Swan, he's ready for visitors."

Emma looked up at the nurse and nodded. She slowly stood and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She took a few deep breaths before she started to follow the nurse. Three steps in, she heard some people following her. She whipped around and glared at her parents, who had stopped in their tracks.

"What do you think you're doing?" she spat as she narrowed her eyes.

"We don't want you to be alone," Snow told her, accompanied with a nod from James.

The blonde shook her head. "I'm still mad at you. Please just back off. I can't deal with you right now."

Her mother and father looked hurt by her statement, but they didn't fight her. They nodded, and she turned back towards the doors. She took a deep breath before she pushed through them and headed towards her son's room.

The walk seemed like it took a million years, but soon they found themselves standing outside a glass door. Emma could see a few large machines surrounding a bed, but it was impossible to gain a glimpse of her son. She clenched her jaw and pushed open the door, slightly frightened of what she would see inside. Her heart seemed to beat faster with every step that brought her closer to the bed. She wished that she could shut her eyes tightly and plug her ears, but she had to endure this torture. Just looking at this room made her nauseous. The beeping was a harsh reminder that her son was on life support, while the machines actually doing the job seemed to advertise that fact. She wanted to turn and run, but she had to face this. She had to see her son.

Emma gasped, and a hand flew to her mouth the instant she laid eyes on Henry.

He was so pale, and so still. He had so many wires and tubes connected to him that he looked like some sort of alien. The machines all displayed different readings, and she automatically scanned them. She found his heart monitor, which was slowly, but steadily, beating. That didn't give her much relief, as she knew that his heart wasn't beating on its own. There was a mask over his mouth and nose, and she knew that it was supplying him with oxygen. It was heartbreaking to know that he couldn't even breathe by himself.

She needed to sit down, because her knees felt weak. There was a chair next to his bed, and she sunk down into it. Her hand hadn't moved from her mouth as she sat there and stared at her son. She was barely able to hold herself together, and she feared that she would break down any second.

"Hi Henry," she whispered. She slowly grasped his hand in hers, and she noticed how cold his fingers still were. It was eerie. "You...you're really scaring me, kid. I can't lose you. I'm not strong enough. I need you, kid. You can't die on me. You have to get better, and you have to wake up. This can't be it for you." Tears were freely flowing down her face, but she didn't bother to stop them. "I promise that I'm going to find out who did this to you. I'm going to make them pay. No one will get away with hurting my son. No one." She bit her lip as she looked at his mangled face. It used to be so perfect, but someone had ruined it. She carefully brushed some hair out of his face and marveled at how much she actually loved this little boy. "Do you want to know a secret? On my twenty-eighth birthday, I bought myself a little cupcake. I put a candle in it and made a wish. Do you want to know what I wished for?" She paused as her face morphed into a smile. "I wished that I wouldn't be alone on my birthday. And do you know what happened a few seconds later?" She couldn't contain the small laugh that escaped her lips. "There was a little boy at my door who told me that he was my son. And I was shocked at first. I never thought I'd see you again. I marveled at how amazing you were. I had always imagined how you would look when you got older, and it was incredible to finally know. But I was still scared. You wanted me to come here with you, and I didn't know if I could do it. I had never had a family growing up, and here you wanted me to be a part of your life. I had thought that I had given up that opportunity when I gave you away. But I decided to give you a chance. I stayed so that I could be a part of your crazy world. And you know what? All of my favorite memories involve us working on Operation Cobra. Those were the best months of my life. I've never felt so close to someone before, and I really opened myself up to you. I let myself love you more than anything in the world. And then I decided to leave. Looking back, that has been the worst decision I have ever made. I had gotten scared of responsibility, and I decided to run, because that's all I had ever done. But when I was in your hospital room, and I thought you were dead, I knew that I loved you. And I couldn't believe that I had let that slip away. And then the curse broke, and I vowed to never let you go again." She felt herself gasp with small sobs. "You gave me so much, Henry. You taught me how to believe in things. You taught me how to trust myself. You showed me that it's okay to open myself up to others. You led me to my parents, and you taught me that family is the most important thing in my life. You're the real hero, Henry." She grasped his hand as hard as she dared. "You can't die, Henry. You have to be strong. You can't ever let go. Because I need you. I can't live without you. I would be lost without you. I love you so much, kid. So, so much."

She couldn't hold back anymore as her body started to shake with violent sobs. She didn't want to ever let go of her son, because she was afraid that if she did, she would lose him forever. She bent over her son and planted a light kiss on his forehead. As soon as she pulled away, one of the machines let out a loud ringing sound. She whipped her head around, frantically trying to determine what was wrong.

* * *

Regina had barely listened as Miss Swan had talked to Henry. It was sickening. That woman had no right to him. She hadn't been a part of his life for the first ten years, so why did she assume the responsibilities of motherhood? It made the queen angry. She should be the one sitting by her son's bed, not that blonde tramp. It wasn't fair at all.

She had been shocked to see his appearance. He looked so small and fragile in that bed, and she had been viciously reminded of his near death almost a year ago. At least this time it wasn't her fault that he was in this state. But that didn't ease her mind at all. He was still close to death. He couldn't survive without those machines. She didn't know what she would do if something did happen to her little boy.

She wasn't paying much attention to the mirror as Miss Swan kissed Henry's forehead. The sight was disgusting. However, something did cause her to be caught off guard. She had never expected to hear that ringing sound. And she knew that nothing good could come from it.

Her face paled and her eyes grew wide. Henry had to be okay. He just had to be.

* * *

Dr. Whale ran into the room and immediately checked the machines. He began to bark orders at nurses as the personnel rushed in. He spotted Emma and his eyes grew wide. "Get out of here, Miss Swan."

"What...no! I'm not leaving him!"

"Miss Swan, you need to stay out of the way," a nurse told her.

She felt herself being dragged out of the room by a nurse. She fought against him, but he was much stronger than her. As soon as they were out the door, she pried herself from his grip and flew to the window. She pressed herself against the glass as she watched the doctor and his assistants work.

They were viciously trying to restart Henry's heart. Dr. Whale looked distressed with every failure. Henry's body would lift off of the bed and slam back down every time they pumped electric shocks into his chest. He was no longer breathing, which only added to the frantic behaviors of the nurses. They were trying everything they could to keep him alive, but it seemed like all of their efforts were going to be in vain. The boy wasn't responding.

Emma could barely watch as her son was dying in front of her eyes, but she couldn't look away. She wanted to be with him, especially if these were his final moments. But she couldn't think like that. This couldn't be the end. He was only an eleven year old boy, and he had so much of his life ahead of him. He couldn't have it all ripped away in just an instant. She couldn't just stand here and watch as her son died. And yet, her eyes were glued to his limp body. She wanted to believe that this wasn't happening, but she couldn't do anything. Her parents would keep her out of that room, and even if she did make it in, the doctor and nurses would throw her out. All she could do was stand here and pray that he would live.

"Don't give up, Henry," she whispered to herself as she pressed her hands against the glass. "You can't leave just yet, kid. I know you're strong enough, just hold on."

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway as Snow and James ran towards her. They didn't stop until they were standing on either side of her. "What's going on? We heard the sirens, and everyone was rushing about. What happened?" her mother frantically asked.

"Do not let him go!" Dr. Whale shouted. Emma could hear his rough voice clearly, even though he was on the other side of a glass window. "We are not going to lose him!"

"Doctor, he's crashing!" a frantic nurse shouted.

Her parents collectively gasped as they heard the voices traveling through the glass barrier. Their eyes flew towards Henry's dying form, and the blonde could see the pain that flashed across their faces. They seemed frozen, as they didn't even attempt to make a move to comfort her. They were just in shock over what was happening to their grandson.

* * *

Regina could feel tears running down her face. Her knuckles were white, she was gripping the handle of her mirror so tightly. She was literally on the edge of her seat as she watched the scene unfold on the mirror's surface.

The hospital staff was desperately trying to keep Henry alive. She knew that they were doing all that they were able, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't good enough for her standards. Her son wasn't making any improvements, in fact, he seemed to be getting worse. And the frantic behavior coming from the doctor didn't help the situation in the slightest.

"Henry," she whispered to herself. She wished that she could be there with him. She wanted to hold his hand and comfort him. She wanted to be at his side if something did go wrong. If he didn't improve. She shook her head. She couldn't afford to think like that, as it would only put doubts in her mind. She had to be optimistic. She had to believe that his full recovery was completely possible. But, this was easier said than done. Judging from the chaos that existed in that hospital room, the boy was far from making a perfect recovery, let alone one at all.

She remembered the first time that he had been sick. It had just been a cold, but she had still panicked. She had taken him to the doctor multiple times to make sure that it wasn't life-threatening. She had given as much medication as she could. She had researched his symptoms and read books in order to make sure that she was doing everything possible to help her son. And even though she did everything right, it still wasn't what he needed. He stayed sick for a few days, and she became worried. She had spent every night rocking him until dawn, and she never left his side. She made sure that she was always there for him, because he needed her more than anything. And slowly he got better. There was no way to determine what the cause of his improvement was, but she had a good feeling about it. Her son was strong, and he could fight his own battles. He made himself better. But what he needed was support from his mother. Her love helped him recover from that cold. At least that's what she believed.

She should be there with him. He needed her, just like he had the first time he had been ill. He was strong enough to do this on his own, but he needed her love at this crucial moment. And she wasn't there to give it to him.

"Henry," she said again. She wished that he could hear her. "I love you so much. You can't give up. You have to push through this. I know that you're strong enough. You can't let go."

She hoped that he wouldn't slip away. But she wasn't so sure if he would actually make it.

* * *

Emma wanted to scream or hit something. Or both. But she just stood there and watched. All she could do was cry for her child and hope that he was going to make it. She had never been good at hoping and believing, but now was different. Now she was praying for her son.

Dr. Whale quickly worked to keep Henry's heart pumping. Emma couldn't tear her eyes away from the lifeless form on the bed. She stopped herself. She couldn't think of her son like that. He was alive, she just knew it. He wasn't gone just yet. It was Henry, after all. That kid never gave up, no matter what. He was the most determined and stubborn person Emma had ever met, and that was saying something. She knew that her son wouldn't give up this easily. He wouldn't let go without a fight. So why was he dying? It didn't make sense. This couldn't be how Henry's life ended. He couldn't lose this fight so easily. It just wasn't in his nature.

The boy's body crashed down onto the bed, and there was silence in the room. The doctor and nurses were still, and they looked at the machines as if they were waiting for something. Suddenly the room was filled with a monotone buzzing sound coming from the heart monitor. As everyone looked at the screen, faces fell across the room. There was an unmistakable flat line. There wasn't a heartbeat, which could only mean one thing.

Dr. Whale's hand flew to his mouth as he loudly cursed. He turned around and locked eyes with the Charmings. His expression was one of complete sorrow. He couldn't believe that he had failed. He couldn't believe that he hadn't been able to keep this little boy alive.

* * *

Regina let out a strangled scream when she realized what had happened. She threw the mirror away from her, and it shattered against the wall. She couldn't look at that sight anymore, and yet, it was still shooting through her mind like a cancer that can't be removed. She began to hyperventilate as her fingers curled into fists. Her body began to uncontrollably shake as she bit her lip. Her efforts were in vain, and a deep cry ripped from her throat. All of her grief and sorrow were mixed into this cry, but those feelings didn't escape her as easily as the sound had.

Henry was dead.

She had felt pain like this when Daniel had been ripped from her, but this was worse. This was her son who was gone. She had spent ten years of her life with him. She had cared for and loved him like no other before him. Her entire heart belonged to her precious little boy. Maybe that's why it felt like her heart was being crushed. Because he was the only thing keeping her alive anymore. He was the only purpose in her life. And if he was gone, she would be lost. She wouldn't know how to carry on anymore. She wouldn't know how to live.

She was loudly grieving now, and she laid her head on her arms. Tremors shook her body as she let this sorrow completely consume her. She would never be able to love again. Not after her heart had been crushed. Her life was over. There was no point in continuing on.

She was never going to see his bright eyes or playful smile again. She was never going to read him a story or tuck him into bed. She was never going to get to tell him how much she truly loved him. He wouldn't know how much she arcades about him. He wouldn't ever know that he was her entire world, and that he held the only key to her heart.

Her son, Henry, was gone forever. He was dead.

She felt like a part of her had died with him.

* * *

"NO!" Emma shrieked. "NO, NO, NO!" She brought her fist to the glass and began to hit it as hard as she could. Her screams were mixed with violent sobs, and her throat was quickly becoming raw. Her fingers were sore and her skin had started to split. And yet, she didn't stop. She just screamed louder and hit the glass harder.

Henry couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. He was only eleven years old, and he had so much of his life ahead of him. This just couldn't be IT for that little boy. He didn't deserve to have it all stolen from him so early in his life. She couldn't lose him so early in his life. She had just become a part of his life, and she had just gotten the chance to be his mother. She had missed so much, and finally she had truly believed that she would get all of that back. That hope had just disappeared so unfairly. She wanted to be his mother and love him unconditionally, and that should have been enough to keep him alive. That love should be enough. So why wasn't it?

This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening. He wasn't dead, he just couldn't be. He had to be alive. He was just sleeping. But if that was the case, why did she feel like she was dying inside? Why did she feel like a part of her heart had been ripped out? Why did she feel like she was suffocating? She shouldn't be feeling this all-consuming sorrow if he was alive. She shouldn't be so distressed. Maybe he was...

He wasn't dead. He just WASN'T.

"Emma," someone whispered next to her. She couldn't even identify their voice, she was so consumed in her world of denial.

"Henry's not dead." Her voice was low and shaking.

"Emma-"

"HE'S NOT DEAD!" she yelled. "HE CAN'T BE!" She felt tears soaking her face as she started to shake. "My son just can't be dead." Someone grasped her shoulder, and she spun to face them. There was fire in her eyes as she twisted out of their grip. "Don't touch me," she spat.

Her mother had tears running down her face as she inched closer. "Emma, I'm so sorry-"

"He's not dead. Don't you dare tell me that he's dead, because he isn't."

"Emma, we understand how you're feeling. We know you're upset. But you can't deny this. It will just make it more painful when you do have to accept it," Snow quietly said.

"It's already painful!" she shouted as she gasped for air.

"I know how it feels to lose a child, Emma. I know how much it hurts," the brunette stated as she tried to hold back her own tears. "It makes you feel like you have nothing to live for anymore. You feel like a part of you has died with them. And there is no way you can ever replace that piece of your heart."

"But...he can't be gone. He's not ready to go. I'm...I'm not ready to lose him."

James stepped towards her. "That's understandable. But that doesn't mean that you can convince yourself that he's still alive. Like your mother said, it will only make it harder to deal with."

She ran her hands down her face. "You can't ask me to accept the fact that my son is dead. I can't do that."

Snow reached out to her. "Emma-"

"Get away from me," the blonde growled. "I can't do this right now."

"We just want to be here for you. We just want to comfort you and give you our love," she told her as she withdrew her hand.

"Maybe I don't want it!

"Don't say things like that-" James started, but he was cut off by the glare Emma shot his way.

"If he is dead...then it's your fault. You two drove him away. He ran away because he saw you fighting, and he would be alive if that never had happened. You two are to blame. You're the reason that he's...dead. You practically killed him."

Snow shook her head. "You're just angry and looking for someone to blame. We didn't do this."

"Yes you did! And now my son, your grandson, is dead because of your actions! How can you stand there and act like you're blameless. None of this would have happened without you two. And now I have to lose my son because my parents pushed him away, and he got hurt. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"Emma-" she tried.

"IT MAKES ME HATE YOU!" the blonde suddenly unleashed. "I HATE you for what you did. I HATE you for causing my son's death. I HATE you for making me lose Henry."

"Please don't do this, Emma. You're not thinking straight. You're just saying these things because you think they will make you feel better about what happened. But they won't. You need us right now, so don't push us away," James whispered. He looked over at his wife, who was holding a hand against her mouth and silently crying. "Don't try to hurt and blame us just because you're in pain. Let us be here for you."

He stretched his hand out to her, but she just shook her head. "No. I don't want your love or comfort. I don't need you. I can take care of myself. I don't want you here. I want to be alone."

"Emma, don't do this," he said.

"Go away."

"Please-" he begged.

"I said, GO AWAY!"

James froze at the venom in her words and the hate in her eyes. He knew that they had lost this battle against their daughter. He grabbed Snow and pulled her against him as he turned away from their little girl. He could feel his wife shaking as he started to walk them away. He paused for a moment and looked back at his baby girl, who hadn't moved at all.

"We love you so much, Emma, and we always will. Never forget that."

The blonde didn't move as she watched her parents walk away. She didn't think that they would give up so easily, but then again, she had been harsh. And she was glad. The anger running through her veins was over-powering, and she couldn't control it. She had to lash out, mainly because there wasn't much else that she could do.

The door to the room opened, and Dr. Whale slowly walked towards her. Her thoughts were disrupted by the sound of him clearing his voice. She whipped around to face him, and her eyes grew dark.

"Miss Swan, we did everything we could. I'm so sorry-"

"No, you didn't. He's dead because you were unable to save him," she stated, her voice cold and distant.

"I can assure you that we tried everything. He didn't survive because he wasn't strong enough to hold on any longer. That's no one's fault, it's just the way it is."

"But, someone is to blame. My parents are. You are. You all are the reason that he's gone."

"There is no specific reason why he died. It just happened. Pointing fingers isn't going to get you anywhere, Miss Swan. It's only going to cause more heartache. You're only going to make things worse if you push everyone away. Don't try to handle this alone. It's only going to make you suffer more than necessary."

"What do you know about suffering? You've never lost a child."

"I lost my brother multiple times. I loved him dearly, so I tried to bring him back to life after he had been killed. And every time I failed, my sorrow only grew. I just wanted him back, and that need consumed me. But you know what my problem was? Actually, what it still is." He paused, a distant look in his eyes. "I couldn't let go. I couldn't accept the reality that he was gone. And that has burdened me so heavily. I was willing to create a monster just so that my brother wouldn't leave me. I promise you that a life full of grief, denial, and anger will not make you happy. It only left me with a hole in my heart."

She stared at him after he had grown quiet. She had never really interacted I him before, and yet, the doctor was giving her comfort and advice that really stuck with her. There was something about his words that struck a chord within her. She realized how much pain she was putting herself through that was completely unnecessary.

"Thank you Doctor..." her voice faded as her eyes grew wide, "Frankenstein. You're Dr. Frankenstein."

"Just call me Victor. Now, your son is waiting for you. I'll give you some privacy."

She looked towards the room and felt a strong need overwhelm her. She had to get a final glimpse of her son. She couldn't carry on any longer without seeing him. She had to say goodbye to him, even if she never wanted to.

So much was running through her head. She was painfully aware of everything that was being ripped away. She was never going to have another top-secret mission with him. She wasn't going to get to meet him for hot chocolate at the diner. She wasn't going to feel him kick her in his sleep in the middle of the night. She wasn't going to have to sleep on the edge of the bed in order to accommodate his spread-out limbs. He wasn't going to become a knight like he always wanted to. He wasn't going to invent new operations for them to carry out. He wasn't going to get to laugh or tell stories as they sat around the dinner table together. He wasn't going to get to be with his family. She felt as if there was now a gaping hole in their lives, and one that only could be filled by a perfect little boy. She felt so empty without him. Her family was incomplete without him. They never would be whole again. She never would be whole again.

Time seemed to move slowly as she pushed open the door. The nurses moved out of her pathway as she traveled towards her son's still form. When she was standing next to his bed, she reached out her hand. Her fingers softly cupped his face, and her thumb ran across his cheek.

"I love you, Henry." She had whispered these words to him when she had thought he was dead almost a year ago. And then her true love's kiss had woken him up and saved him. She had broken his curse, and everyone's curse, with the love she had for her son. But it wouldn't be enough now. He had been taken away through natural means. True love could break any curse, but he wasn't cursed. He was just dead.

There was only one thing that she needed to do. She leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips against her son's forehead. As soon as she had completely the action, she felt a burst of energy travel through her lips and into Henry's forehead. It wasn't the same force that she had felt when she had woken him up before. This was something completely different.

Suddenly, he arched his back as his eyes flew open and he gasped. She pulled her lips away as his body crashed back down onto the bed. He gripped the sheets and took a few deep breaths as he stared at the ceiling. He was sweating, and his body seemed to shake. He was still pale and frail-looking, but he wasn't dead. His heart was beating and he was breathing, which was the most beautiful sight in the world.

"Henry! You're alive!" she exclaimed, not able to believe what she had just witnessed.

His eyes darted towards her, and they locked with her pupils. She could see something in his eyes for a second, but a cloud seemed to consume it. Henry's eyes grew wide and he recoiled as he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"WHO ARE YOU?" he yelled at the top of his lungs, causing Emma to feel as if her life had ended once more.

***Finds a place to hide***

**I am very aware of the fact that I'm an evil person, and I apologize. All I can say is that at least I didn't kill him...**

**Now, I'm going out of town for about ten days on Friday. I will be able to write, just not post. Also, my beta is going out of town as well for a few weeks. I'm going to keep writing no matter what, but I haven't decided if I'm going to wait until she comes home to post the chapters. I hate posting my work unbetaed, but I also hate keeping my amazing readers waiting. Let me know what you would prefer.**

**Always feel free to pm me about anything, I swear that I don't bite!**

**Please review...even if it's just to yell at me. **


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